Febuary 27th

February 27, 2023
Monday of the 1 st Week of Lent
[Saint Gregory of Narek, Abbot and Doctor of the Church]
Readings: Lv 19:1-2, 11-18/Mt 25:31-46 (224)
Elena Jimenez: Junior
My readings come from Leviticus and the Gospel of Matthew. In the first reading of
Leviticus, God is speaking to Moses and is telling him a version of the 10 commandments. I
want to focus on the last portion of this reading where God says, “You shall not bear hatred for
your brother in your heart. Though you may have to reprove him, do not incur sin because of
him. Take no revenge and cherish no grudge against your fellow countrymen. You shall love
your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.” I am sure that many of us have heard the teaching to
love our neighbors as ourselves; however, how many of us are actively living this out? How
many of us are treating our neighbors with kindness and respect, even when it may be a person
you do not particularly like. It is no easy task to love our neighbors, especially if it is someone
you are not particularly fond of. This leads me to the Gospel of Matthew when Jesus says when
the time comes for all the nations to gather before him. We will be split into sheep and goats. He
will look to his sheep on the right and say,” Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the
foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave me food, I was thirsty, and you gave me
drink, a stranger and you welcomed me.”
Those of us who follow his commandments and treat others with the kindness and respect
they deserve, will be rewarded in heaven. For when we serve others, we are serving God. Then
God will look to his left at the goats and say, “'Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal
fire prepared for the Devil and his angels. For I was hungry, and you gave me no food, I was
thirsty and you gave me no drink, a stranger and you gave me no welcome.” If we are selfish in
this life on earth and disobey God’s will, we will be cast into hell for the sins we committed. We
are all made in the image and likeness of Jesus Christ and refusing to follow his commandments
and serving others is like rejecting Jesus Christ. I want everyone to think about their recent
actions and words. Right now, at this moment, can you say for certain that you will be one of
God’s sheep? Or will you be a goat? If you are uncertain about what you are, I ask that you
meditate on the first reading of Leviticus and the Gospel of Matthew today. Think about your
actions towards others and what you have done to follow God’s commandments that he has left
for us and remember to love our neighbors as ourselves.