In today’s Gospel we hear the story of the Last Judgment. This judgment is described as a separation, like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. Matthew describes this judgement with these words:
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.”
Jesus has alluded to this separation and judgment in his Parable Chapter (Matthew 13). In the explanation of the Parable of the Weeds and Wheat Jesus explains:
“Just as weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all who cause others to sin and all evildoers. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” (Matthew 13:40-43).
Jesus gives the same explanation for the Parable of the dragnet.
“Thus it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.” (Matthew 13:49-50).
There are three key points in this great judgment scene in Matthew 25: (1) Judgment does not take place until the end of time. Until then there is no separation between weeds and wheat, saints and sinners. (2) Jesus as the Son of Man is the one who judges not us. He commands us, therefor, “Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.” (Luke 6:37). (3) The criterion for this Last Judgement is social justice whatever we do to the least, we do to Jesus:
“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.
“Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least of mine, you did for me.”
Jesus teaches that love of God and love of the least, the poor, the immigrant, the outcast cannot be separated. We find this same teaches in the Epistle of John: “for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen.” (1 John 4:20).
Image: “Duomo, Last Judgement, Giorgio Vasari” by f_snarfel is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0.