Today is the last Sunday of the Church Year. The Gospel is very pointed and direct: whatever we did or did not do for the least among us, we did or did not do for the Lord. Ultimately, this is the question that will be asked of us at the end time: How did you love the people I put into your life? Were we like Jesus to others? Or did we treat other people with contempt or derision? Did we embrace the needs of the poor or did we ignore them?
The Good Shepherd cares for the sheep of his flock. We in turn are called to care for one another. Eventually, we will be held accountable for our behavior during our time on earth. Did we follow the shepherd’s example by seeking out the lost, binding up the injured, healing the sick and treating others with dignity?
As you prepare to begin a new Church cycle next week, do a review of life and examine how well you have modeled your life after the Good Shepherd. When the Lord comes and separates the sheep from the goats what will his verdict be for you?
Msgr. John