Monday of the First Week of Lent
Love Of Neighbor - Time to Do Good
Liturgical Cycle: A, B, C | Lectionary Cycle: I, II
Introduction
Encountering God in people
It is striking how the Bible insists, even in the Old Testament, that God is present where people love one another and do the works of mercy to one another. What we do to others is done to God. The Old Testament stressed love especially with regard to members of the chosen people, who were all to be considered as blood relatives, without excluding non-Jews.
The New Testament extends this clearly not only to members of the people of God, but also to all people. The kingdom of God is present where people treat one another as brothers and sisters. Those belonging to the People of God have to bear witness to all that love exists and is alive, and therefore, that God exists and is alive, by their love, particularly by their respect and concern for the weak and the fragile ones. It is by love of neighbor that we will be judged.
Opening Prayer
Lord, holy God, loving Father,
you give us the task to love one another
because you are holy
And you have loved us before we could love you.
Give us the ability to recognise your Son
in our brothers and sisters, far and near.
Make us witnesses that love exists and is alive
and that you, the God of love,
exist and are alive, now forever.
Responsorial Psalm
R. (John 6:63b) Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul.
The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart.
The command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
The ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
Let the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart
find favor before you,
O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
Alleluia Verse
Glory and praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ!
Behold, now is a very acceptable time;
Behold, now is the day of salvation.
Glory and praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ!
Prayers of the Faithful
– For the many who are hungry for food and human dignity, that those who have more may provide them with what they need, we pray:
– For strangers and aliens, that we may accept them with all their differences, we pray:
– For the sick and for the prisoners, people who are rarely visited, that we may show them our compassion and concern, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord, our God, loving Father,
you let your Son share himself with us
in these signs of bread and wine.
Like him, and with his strength,
may we share with our brothers and sisters
our encounter with your Son,
especially to the lonely and the fragile
whom you place on our way.
We ask you this through Christ, our Lord.
Prayer after Communion
Loving Father,
we have encountered your Son, Jesus Christ,
in this Eucharistic celebration.
May he accompany us today,
on the crossroads of the human city
and help us to show
your authentic face as a God who cares
to those in search of life and love,
that people may recognize
your kingdom that has come among us.
We ask you this through Christ, our Lord.
Blessing
“What you do to the least of my brothers, you have also done it to me,” the Lord said to us today. This is a beautiful task, but it is difficult. May God bless you for it, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
REFLECTIONS
God’s Own
Look at the response of the sheep on the right: “Lord, when did we see you hungry and gave you food, thirsty and gave you drink…?” When the King clarifies, we can imagine their response to be one of shock, surprise, delight—an “aha” experience! What does this episode tell us? That these righteous ones had no idea that it was the Lord they were feeding and helping when they took care of the poor and the needy in their life on earth! They didn’t do so because they “saw” the face of Christ in them (as some saints did); nor because the Scriptures commanded them to do so (as some of us do). They did so simply because it came so naturally for them to help; because loving and caring was their second first nature. Like God’s own nature. We might find them seated on the right and the left of Christ in his glory!
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Matthew 25:31-46
Time to Do Good
Today’s Gospel reminds us that our faith must be lived out through good works. Jesus speaks of the final judgment, where people will be separated based on their actions—on whether they fed the hungry, welcomed the stranger, clothed the naked, and cared for the sick and imprisoned. This is a powerful call to action: we are called to love through concrete deeds.
First, Jesus gathers all people together. Our faith is not meant to be lived in isolation. Just as Christ chose to walk with His disciples, we too must live in communion with others. How often do we isolate ourselves, waiting for others to reach out first? Instead of making excuses, let us take the initiative to build relationships, to check on those in need, and to share our time with the people God has placed in our lives.
Second, our faith must be expressed in action. Lent is a time to wake up from spiritual laziness and do good for others. If we fail to go out and serve, our communities become unhealthy, filled with gossip and division instead of love. Instead of talking about problems, let’s be part of the solution. There are so many ways to serve—feeding the poor, visiting the sick, encouraging the lonely. What will you do this Lent to bring Christ’s love to others?
Finally, Jesus invites us to inherit the Kingdom. Our actions shape not just our future in eternity, but also our lives here and now. A life lived selfishly becomes a life of misery, but a life of generosity and service brings true joy and peace.
Let us not waste time. Let’s do good while we can, for in giving, we find true happiness. Amen.
Matthew 25: 31-46
Punish me with a kiss
Fr. Ron Rolheiser gives a different reflection on the judgment scene. Instead of fearing that our shortcomings will be exposed in glaring light, Rolheiser suggests theologian Karl Rahner’s image. For Rahner, the agent of judgment will not be God’s piercing light as much as God’s enduring love. We will be embraced by a love so unconditional and gracious that we will recognize all that is self-centred. We will also see all that is selfless.
As St. Therese of Lisieux famously said, "God has the heart of a father. A father cannot resist his children’s trust—he finds it impossible to hold out against it. Once someone has a father’s heart, he’s lost, unable to resist being conquered by the trust of a little child. If a small child says, “Daddy, I’m not perfect, I do lots of silly things, but you know how much I love you! And when I do something silly, I ask you to punish me with a kiss!”— how could any father resist?" “Punish me with a kiss!”
On judgment day, we will be loved in a way that will make us painfully aware of our sin – even as we know how we are loving and being loved. God demands from us a natural overflowing of love that gushes out of the heart. Love that expects no recognition. Love that freely gives power away. Love that forgets self.
Jesus’ command to practice the corporal works of mercy is direct, uncompromising, and everywhere present in the entire New Testament. According to Fr. Rolheiser, every tenth line in the New Testament challenges Christians to reach out to the physically poor. In Luke’s gospel, it is every sixth line. In the Epistle of James, it is every fifth line. Involvement withthe poor is not a negotiable item. This is mandated with the same weight as is any creed, dogma, and moral or spiritual teaching of the Chruch.