Pope Pius XI established this feast in 1925 to counteract secularism and atheism in modern society. Although the concept of king as a symbol does not speak to our world with the impact it had hundreds of years ago, the reconciliation of all people under the lordship of the crucified and risen Jesus and his vision of the kingdom of God remains the goal of this feast. The interdependence of Church and State in modern society, as well as their functional separation, needs to be continually recognized and maintained.

This parable concludes the teaching on the Church in the light of the final fulfillment, which was begun in chapter 24. After exhorting his followers to vigilance, preparation, and attentive ministry during the period of uncertain delay before his second coming, Jesus now speaks of judgment in terms derived from the daily life of a shepherd — the separation of sheep and goats into their own pens after a day of grazing together.

Notice that the final condition for entry into the kingdom does not involve any special ethnic or even religious requirement. The Jewish concept of the final judgment was the triumph of the Jewish people over all other nations. The early Church was tempted to think in a similar way; membership in the Church, or mere profession of faith in Christ, as insuring a favorable judgment. According to Jesus’ words, however, the basic standard by which we will be judged is our recognition of one another as brothers and sisters in a genuine and active sense — what we do or fail to do for them springs from our attitude toward them, and ultimately, our attitude toward Christ.

The Christian who is called to profess faith explicitly in Christ must fulfill that faith by accepting even the most unacceptable ("my least brothers") as he or she would accept Christ. But this passage assures us that even those who are incapable of believing in Christ — and there may be many causes of this incapacity — are nevertheless really receiving him to the extent that they receive those in need. Jesus showed great care for the "little ones" (Mt 10:42; 18:1-14). Whoever does the same is sharing the spirit of Christ; even if unawares, their action is truly of God. Christians have the gift of faith, then, not for their own glory, but to witness that God is present in the patterns of human relationships. Every genuine attempt at human solidarity already has the seed of divinity within it. The Christian task is to bring this seed to fruition.

Ezekiel is writing after the return from exile in Babylon, and it is apparent that neither the people nor their leaders had learned their lesson. As they became prosperous again, they also became corrupt and less concerned with such "unprofitable" things as justice and mercy. Through the voice of the prophet, the Lord promises that he will lead his faithful himself. Jesus in the Gospel reading appropriates to himself this image of God as shepherd of his people.

Pray the words of this familiar psalm as though for the first time. Response: "The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want."

The effect of the resurrection is the restoration of all things in the order that God intended. The doctrine of this passage is far more developed and complex than what we saw in 1 Thessalonians. Christ himself has already accomplished this restoration, but it is brought to completion only on the battleground of the human will of each person.

1. "You are judged by what you do." Is that a fair statement? What are some different ways to consider "judgment"?

2. Why bother being a Christian if you can get to heaven just by following your conscience? Is this question put in proper terms?