God’s judgment

1. Visit the princess. Such an incident happened in England in ancient times: a certain princess heard different opinions about her principality’s inhabitants. Some praised them as good, merciful people. Others, on the other hand, had the opposite opinion. The princess decided to find out personally who was right. She therefore disguised herself as an ordinary woman, took a large basket in her hand, and walked through the surrounding villages and settlements. Walking from house to house asking for support. Some drove her away, using offensive words. Others gave her some leftover food, which they already wanted to throw away. She found real friends in only one poor cottage. Two older adults, a man and a woman, sat her at a warm room table. Then they gave her a plate of hot soup and a cake they had just removed from the oven.

The next day, the princess invited all those she had visited the palace. They led them into a large hall and sat down at a table. Each of them found on his plate what he had given the princess. Some found a piece of old, discarded bread, others a few rotten potatoes or leftovers from another old dish. Only the older man and the older woman were the exceptions. They found bowls of the best food in front of them. The princess then told the congregation: “Today, you have found the same thing that you gave me yesterday. Remember that a similar reward awaits you in the other world. “

2. The Lord Jesus is hidden in his neighbors. Today’s gospel says that there is also a stranger among us. It is not some priestly or other respected personality, but Christ. The unknown recognizes us for various things – for food when he is hungry; for clothing when it is cold; for a visit and help when he is ill. He will walk for so long, for ages, until the end of the world. Then again, like the princess, he will take us with him to repay us for what we have done to him: To each one according to the help he has given him or not. Some then hear that they fed him when he was hungry; they clothed him when he had no garment; they cared for him when he was ill. Others refused to give it all to him. Both equally astonished ask, Lord, when did we see you hungry, naked, sick, or imprisoned? The Lord Jesus, as we read a moment ago, will answer, “Verily I say unto you, Since ye have done it unto one of the least of these brethren, ye have done it unto me” (Mathew 25:40).

Surely you, like the astonished ones, ask, but not in court, but today, now: Maybe in that annoying classmate who is learning poorly, or should I see Christ himself in that brazen classmate? And maybe in a quarry, a dirty beggar, or in my brother and sister, who are bothering me? And should I help them when they cannot learn, take care of them when they are sick, and share with them their things as with the Lord Jesus Himself? You would still be willing to see Christ in a distant, hungry black woman in a nice picture or photograph in the newspaper. But in those little mice classmates and acquaintances, you meet every day? Many still cannot understand this.

However, it is so. This is how the Lord Jesus teaches. In fact, he doesn’t disguise himself as a beggar, a sick person, or your classmates. But he goes out with them all. He is present in them through holy baptism and holy communion. There is no denying that their mistakes and shortcomings make it difficult for us to see Christ in them; they obscure him. Yet he is in them. He also wants them to become better and easier to see in them. You try to help them uncover the face of the Lord Jesus in their faces. Also, try to live the gospel yourself so that others can see Christ in you. Your sins also obscure it. But I hope that none of you have driven him from your soul with mortal sin. If God’s judgment had already taken place over us here in the church, I suppose you wouldn’t have to blush with shame … Today, as we listened to the horrifying description of the Last Judgment, you may have thought: Why the Lord Jesus, such good, merciful, threatening eternal destruction? We will try to answer this question together. The Lord Jesus, although He loves us so much that He has given His life for us, cannot be unjust. Can the Lord Jesus say to a person who has stolen, drunk, hated, wronged others all his life, and never regretted it, “Did you do well, come to heaven?” Would that be?

3. Place on the bus and other good deeds. God’s judgment on the living has actually begun here on earth, and it continues our whole life. Only the last statement will be announced by the Lord God later: to each one individually – at death and publicly at the end of the world. Each of our good deeds, every help of what is in need, is part of the last good statement, but every refusal to help can be part of the last refusal. Many of you may say: We are still small; we have almost nothing ourselves. So, how can we feed poor people, putting clothes naked, or going to jail to visit prisoners?

Sure, you can’t do everything. But for example, you can visit the sick and serve them; you can help parents, siblings, and society. Today, I would like to draw your attention to one of the good deeds: making room on the bus available to the elderly and the weaker. The Lord Jesus is not talking about this, but only because there were no buses then. Many children begin to feel a strange weakness in their legs as soon as they get on a bus, train, or tram. They look around for seating. When mom is with you, she usually helps you find him. But she mostly stands alone. Then older people come. Sometimes some children get up and offer their place, but they do not see anyone in many cases. Is there love for neighbor in such children? Do they see in the elders and the weak Christ to be helped? It is similar to freeing up space in the church or some public gatherings. When the children get off the bus, their feet stop hurting, and they can run and play for hours.

Young pagans can sometimes be an example for you. We learn from the history of ancient Sparta that several Spartan boys got up and begged him to take their seats when an older man appeared at the stadium. They stood until he sat down. It was several hundred years before the birth of Christ! We have paid special attention to one of the good deeds that most children can do. You yourself, without the help of others, could name many more. He who has a good heart, a lot of love for his neighbor, sees himself, without comments, various opportunities to help. An example is scouts who have the motto: Not a day without a good deed!