Today we are reminded of the final judgment, “when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him” (Mt 25:31), and it is pointed out to us that giving food, drink, clothing... are works of love for a Christian, when in doing them, one knows how to see Christ himself in them.

St. John of the Cross says: “At the evening of life, we shall be judged on our love. Learn to love as God desires to be loved and abandon your own ways of acting.” Not doing something that must be done, in the service of other children of God and our brothers, means leaving Christ without these details of due love: sins of omission.

The Second Vatican Council, in Gaudium et Spes, explaining the demands of Christian charity, which gives meaning to so-called social assistance, says: “In our times a special obligation binds us to make ourselves the neighbor of every person without exception and of actively helping him when he comes across our path, whether he be an old person abandoned by all, a foreign laborer unjustly looked down upon, a refugee, or a hungry person who disturbs our conscience by recalling the voice of the Lord, ‘As long as you did it for one of these the least of my brethren, you did it for me’ (Mt 25:40).”

Let us remember that Christ lives in Christians... and tells us: “I am with you always, until the end of the age” (Mt 28:20).

The Fourth Lateran Council defines the final judgment as a truth of faith: “He will come at the end of time to judge the living and the dead, to render to every person according to his works, both to the reprobate and to the elect (...) so as to receive according to their deserts, whether these be good or bad; for the latter perpetual punishment with the devil, for the former eternal glory with Christ.”

Let us ask Mary to help us in the actions of service to her Son in our brothers and sisters.