GOSPEL READING: Matthew 25:31-46
The Son of Man Will Judge the Nations
31 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the [a]holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’
44 “Then they also will answer [b]Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ 45 Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
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ЕВАНГЕЛСКО ЧЕТИВО: Матеј 25, 31-46
За страшниот суд
31. А кога ќе дојде Синот Човечки во Својата слава и сите свети ангели со Него, тогаш ќе седне на престолот на славата Своја, 32. и ќе се соберат пред Него сите народи; па ќе ги оддели едни од други, како што овчарот ги одделува овците од козите; 33. и ќе ги постави овците од Својата десна страна, а козите од левата. 34. Тогаш Царот ќе им каже на оние што Му се од десната страна: »Елате, благословени од Мојот Отец; наследете го царството, приготвено за вас од почетокот на светот; 35. оти, гладен бев и Ми дадовте да јадам; жеден бев и Ме напоивте, странец бев и Ме примивте; 36. необлечен бев и Ме облековте; болен бев и Ме посетивте; во затвор бев и дојдовте при Мене.« 37. Тогаш праведниците ќе Му одговорат и речат: »Господи, кога Те видовме гладен и Те нахранивме, или жеден и Те напоивме? 38. Кога Те видовме странец и Те прибравме, или необлечен и Те облековме? 39. Кога Те видовме болен, или во затвор, и Те посетивме?« 40. А Царот ќе им одговори и рече: »Вистина, ви велам: доколку сте го направиле тоа на еден од овие Мои најмали браќа, Мене сте Ми го направиле.« 41. Тогаш ќе им каже и на оние што се од левата страна: »Одете од Мене, проклети, во вечен оган, приготвен за ѓаволот и неговите ангели. 42. Зашто, гладен бев и не Ми дадовте да јадам; жеден бев и не Ме напоивте; 43. странец бев и не Ме прибравте; необлечен бев и не Ме облековте; болен и во затвор бев и не Ме посетивте.« 44. Тогаш и тие ќе Му одговорат и речат: »Господи, кога Те видовме гладен, или жеден, или странец, или необлечен, или болен, или во затвор, и не Ти послуживме?« 45. Тогаш ќе им одговори и рече: »Доколку не сте го направиле тоа на еден од овие најмали браќа и Мене не сте Ми го направиле.« 46. И тие ќе отидат во вечна мака, а праведниците – во живот вечен.”
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Simple Things.
The things Jesus talks about in the parable today are simple things. Anybody can give them: a piece of bread, a cup of water, a word of welcome, a piece of clothing and a visit. Nobody is so poor that he cannot give something to the King in disguise. In fact, St. Chrysostom tells us that if the Church ever comes to the point where she has nothing to give to help the poor, the holy chalice and the other sacred vessels of the holy altar should be melted down and made into gold coins to help feed the hungry who are the living temples of God.
"When the Son of Man comes in his glory … before Him will be gathered all the nations … and He will separate them one from another ... to those at His right hand He will say, 'Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world! ... to those at His left He will say, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels The basis on which we shall be judged by God when He appears at the end of history is: how deeply we loved the King when He appeared to us in disguise: "Lord, when did we see Thee hungry and feed Thee or thirsty and give Thee drink? Or when did we see Thee a stranger and welcome Thee?" And the King will answer, "... as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to Me."
The King in disguise!