Narcissism and Need

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to examine the situations where greed and self centered acts deny our brothers and sisters the love and support they need and further separate the privileged goats from the poor sheep.

Being Sheep or Goats

The Reading from the Book of Leviticus prescribes Various Rules of Conduct.

* [19:2] Be holy, for I…am holy: in the writings commonly attributed to the Priestly collection, Israel is called to be holy through obeying God’s precepts (11:44–45; 20:7–8, 24–26; Nm 15:40–41). Cf. Dt 14:2, 21; 26:19; and Ex 19:6.

 

* [19:11–13] Cf. the Decalogue commandments against stealing (Ex 20:15; Dt 5:19), wrongly using God’s name (Ex 20:7; Dt 5:11), and swearing falsely against another (Ex 20:16; Dt 5:20).

* [19:14] In Dt 27:18 a curse falls on the head of the one who misleads the blind.

* [19:17–18] These verses form a unit and describe different attitudes and actions towards one’s fellow Israelites. A separate passage is necessary to advise a similar attitude toward aliens (vv. 33–34). Cf. 25:39–46. The admonition at the end of v. 18 came to be viewed in Judaism and Christianity as one of the central commandments. (See Mt 22:34–40; Mk 12:28–34; Lk 10:25–28; cf. Mt 19:19; Rom 13:8–10; Gal 5:14). The New Testament urges love for enemies as well as neighbors (Mt 5:43–48; Lk 6:27–36; cf. Prv 25:21–22). (Leviticus, CHAPTER 19, n.d.)

Psalm 19 proclaims the Creator’s wisdom is available to human beings in the law.

* [Psalm 19] The heavenly elements of the world, now beautifully arranged, bespeak the power and wisdom of their creator (Ps 19:2–7). The creator’s wisdom is available to human beings in the law (Ps 19:8–11), toward which the psalmist prays to be open (Ps 19:12–14). The themes of light and speech unify the poem. (Psalms, PSALM 19, n.d.)

The Gospel of Matthew compares the sheep and goats at The Judgment of the Nations.

* [25:31–46] The conclusion of the discourse, which is peculiar to Matthew, portrays the final judgment that will accompany the parousia. Although often called a “parable,” it is not really such, for the only parabolic elements are the depiction of the Son of Man as a shepherd and of the righteous and the wicked as sheep and goats respectively (Mt 25:32–33). The criterion of judgment will be the deeds of mercy that have been done for the least of Jesus’ brothers (Mt 25:40). A difficult and important question is the identification of these least brothers. Are they all people who have suffered hunger, thirst, etc. (Mt 25:35, 36) or a particular group of such sufferers? Scholars are divided in their response and arguments can be made for either side. But leaving aside the problem of what the traditional material that Matthew edited may have meant, it seems that a stronger case can be made for the view that in the evangelist’s sense the sufferers are Christians, probably Christian missionaries whose sufferings were brought upon them by their preaching of the gospel. The criterion of judgment for all the nations is their treatment of those who have borne to the world the message of Jesus, and this means ultimately their acceptance or rejection of Jesus himself; cf. Mt 10:40, “Whoever receives you, receives me.” See note on Mt 16:27.

* [25:32] All the nations: before the end the gospel will have been preached throughout the world (Mt 24:14); thus the Gentiles will be judged on their response to it. But the phrase all the nations includes the Jews also, for at the judgment “the Son of Man…will repay everyone according to his conduct” (Mt 16:27).

* [25:37–40] The righteous will be astonished that in caring for the needs of the sufferers they were ministering to the Lord himself. One of these least brothers of mine: cf. Mt 10:42.

* [25:41] Fire prepared…his angels: cf. 1 Enoch 10:13 where it is said of the evil angels and Semyaza, their leader, “In those days they will lead them into the bottom of the fire—and in torment—in the prison (where) they will be locked up forever.”

* [25:44–45] The accursed (Mt 25:41) will be likewise astonished that their neglect of the sufferers was neglect of the Lord and will receive from him a similar answer. (Matthew, CHAPTER 25, n.d.)

Eileen Wirth is focusing on the exhortations of our Catholic bishops opposing violence and assaults on the human dignity of ALL people. She is especially haunted by Cardinal Joseph Tobin’s powerful video repeatedly asking, “How will you say no?” to such cruelty to the least of our brothers and sisters.

How am I saying no? How are YOU saying no?

‘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, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.’

As the crowd fell silent, some people walked out, asking how Jesus dared to address them like this. Didn’t he know how much money they had spent building complexes in his honor? And how could this be Jesus? He was supposed to be a white guy with long brown hair like the pictures in their complexes, not an olive-skinned man with an accent. Some began planning to turn their complexes into gated malls.

Not all of Jesus’ wealthy fans had abandoned him. Many contributed heavily to the collection for local homeless shelters. They joined the poor people in the bleachers in applauding enthusiastically when Jesus said:

‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’ And the king will say to them in reply, ‘ Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’ (Wirth, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “Gathering and Separating,” by an anonymous early author from the Greek church.

"And he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats." So then, people on earth are intermingled, and not only intermingled in that the righteous live side by side with the wicked, but they are also indistinguishable. Between the righteous and the wicked there is no apparent difference. Even as in wintertime you cannot tell the healthy trees apart from the withered trees but in beautiful springtime you can tell the difference, so too each person according to his faith and his works will be exposed. The wicked will not have any leaves or show any fruit, but the righteous will be clothed with the leaves of eternal life and adorned with the fruit of glory. In this way they will be separated by the heavenly shepherd and Lord. The earthly shepherd separates animals by their type of body, whereas Christ separates people by their type of soul. The sheep signify righteous people by reason of their gentleness, because they harm no one, and by reason of their patience, because when they are harmed by others, they bear it without resistance. He refers to sinners as goats, however, because these vices characterize goats - capriciousness toward other animals, pride and belligerence." (excerpt from INCOMPLETE WORK ON MATTHEW, HOMILY 54, the Greek fathers). (Schwager, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler notes that Leviticus was written by the Priestly authors. We hear the commandment given to Moses. This is one of 613 commandments in the Hebrew Testament to teach us how to walk in the ways of the Lord. Matthew 25 adds in an unexpected way a comparison of the generous vs the selfish. Jesus tells us to be compassionate and reach out and address the needs of others. Friar Jude comments on the appropriateness of the metaphor comparing the two grazing species.  Sheep leave the roots of plants to permit regrowth but goats eat roots and all. Sheep don’t muddy the water in streams but goats muddy the water for animals downstream. Narcissistic goats are selfish and arrogant and think only of themselves.

The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 25:31-46 comments that the Church teaches that when Jesus took on human flesh, he “united himself in some fashion with every person” (Gaudium et Spes, 22). That means that somehow, Jesus is actually present in every single person. It means that everyone is his brother or sister—our brother or sister. And it means that the way we treat each person is the way we treat Jesus (Matthew 25:40).

Jesus wants us to know that our ordinary interactions and relationships—especially with our neighbors who are poor or suffering—provide us with opportunities to see, touch, and offer love to Jesus himself! As you obey Jesus’ command to love as he has loved you, you will encounter Christ himself in the very people you are seeking to care for.

So if you want to be ready to meet the Lord, love. Love your Lord and love your neighbor with the reverence and joy of a heart that finds its Beloved present in every person it meets.

“Jesus, open my eyes to see you and love you in all my neighbors.” (Meditation on Matthew 25:31-46, n.d.)

Fr Richard Rohr, OFM, describes how Moses gradually learned to trust in God’s love. It is common for mystics, from Moses to Bonaventure, from Hildegard of Bingen to the Quaker Thomas Kelly, to describe the experience of God as fire, a furnace, or pure light. But during this early experience, “Moses covered his face, afraid to look back at God” (Exodus 3:6). He has to be slowly taught how to look at God. At first Moses continues to live like most of us, in his shame, insecurity, and doubt. 

God gradually convinces Moses of God’s respect, which Moses calls “favor,” but not without some serious objections from Moses’s side: 1) “Who am I?” 2) “Who are you?” 3) “What if they do not believe me?” 4) “I stutter.” 5) “Why not send someone else?” In each case, God stays in the dialogue, answering Moses respectfully and even intimately, offering a promise of personal Presence and an ever-sustaining glimpse into who God is—Being Itself, Existence Itself, a nameless God beyond all names, a formless God previous to all forms, a liberator God who is utterly liberated. God asserts God’s ultimate freedom from human attempts to capture God in concepts and words by saying, “I am who I am” or “I will be who I will be” (Exodus 3:14). Over the course of his story, we see that Moses slowly absorbs this same daring freedom.

But for Moses to learn foundational freedom in his true self, God has to assign Moses a specific task: create freedom for people who don’t want it very badly and freedom from an oppressor who thinks he is totally in control. It’s often in working for outer freedom, peace, and justice in the world that we discover an even deeper inner freedom. We must discover this freedom to survive in the presence of so much death. Otherwise, we can become cynical and angry and retreat from God and from other people over time. (Rohr, 2025)

We contemplate the situation described in Matthew 25 that describes the distinction of people who experience Christ in interaction with the poor, hungry, imprisoned, and exposed to the elements and seek the help of the Spirit to live as sheep and not as goats.

References

Leviticus, CHAPTER 19. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved February 23, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/leviticus/19?1 

Matthew, CHAPTER 25. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved February 23, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/25?31 

Meditation on Matthew 25:31-46. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved February 23, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/02/23/1507509/ 

Psalms, PSALM 19. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved February 23, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/19?8 

Rohr, R. (2025, March 13). Learning to Choose Freedom. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved February 23, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/learning-to-choose-freedom/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Eternal Life Versus Eternal Punishment. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved February 23, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/ 

Wirth, E. (n.d.). Daily Reflection. Creighton Online Ministries: Home. Retrieved February 23, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-february-23-2026 

Trust and Temptation

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today present the tension between truth and temptation that is too often the confusion that distracts us to disorder and self aggrandizement. 

Power or Providence

The Reading from the Book of Genesis describes The Garden of Eden and the decisions that led to Expulsion from Eden

* [2:7] God is portrayed as a potter molding the human body out of earth. There is a play on words in Hebrew between ’adam (“human being,” “man”) and ’adama (“ground”). It is not enough to make the body from earth; God must also breathe into the man’s nostrils. A similar picture of divine breath imparted to human beings in order for them to live is found in Ez 37:5, 9–10; Jn 20:22. The Israelites did not think in the (Greek) categories of body and soul.

* [2:8] Eden, in the east: the place names in vv. 8–14 are mostly derived from Mesopotamian geography (see note on vv. 10–14). Eden may be the name of a region in southern Mesopotamia (modern Iraq), the term derived from the Sumerian word eden, “fertile plain.” A similar-sounding Hebrew word means “delight,” which may lie behind the Greek translation, “The Lord God planted a paradise [= pleasure park] in Eden.” It should be noted, however, that the garden was not intended as a paradise for the human race, but as a pleasure park for God; the man tended it for God. The story is not about “paradise lost.”

The garden in the precincts of Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem seems to symbolize the garden of God (like gardens in other temples); it is apparently alluded to in Ps 1:3; 80:10; 92:14; Ez 47:7–12; Rev 22:1–2.

* [2:9] The second tree, the tree of life, is mentioned here and at the end of the story (3:22, 24). It is identified with Wisdom in Prv 3:18; 11:30; 13:12; 15:4, where the pursuit of wisdom gives back to human beings the life that is made inaccessible to them in Gn 3:24. In the new creation described in the Book of Revelation, the tree of life is once again made available to human beings (Rev 2:7; 22:2, 14, 19). Knowledge of good and evil: the meaning is disputed. According to some, it signifies moral autonomy, control over morality (symbolized by “good and evil”), which would be inappropriate for mere human beings; the phrase would thus mean refusal to accept the human condition and finite freedom that God gives them. According to others, it is more broadly the knowledge of what is helpful and harmful to humankind, suggesting that the attainment of adult experience and responsibility inevitably means the loss of a life of simple subordination to God.

* [2:17] You shall die: since they do not die as soon as they eat from the forbidden tree, the meaning seems to be that human beings have become mortal, destined to die by virtue of being human.

* [2:18] Helper suited to him: lit., “a helper in accord with him.” “Helper” need not imply subordination, for God is called a helper (Dt 33:7; Ps 46:2). The language suggests a profound affinity between the man and the woman and a relationship that is supportive and nurturing.

* [2:25] They felt no shame: marks a new stage in the drama, for the reader knows that only young children know no shame. This draws the reader into the next episode, where the couple’s disobedience results in their loss of innocence. (Genesis, CHAPTER 2, n.d.)

* [3:1] Cunning: there is a play on the words for “naked” (2:25) and “cunning/wise” (Heb. ‘arum). The couple seek to be “wise” but end up knowing that they are “naked.”

* [3:5] Like gods, who know: or “like God who knows.”

* [3:8] The breezy time of the day: lit., “the wind of the day.” Probably shortly before sunset. (Genesis, CHAPTER 3 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 51 prays for the removal of the personal and social disorders that sin has brought

* [Psalm 51] A lament, the most famous of the seven Penitential Psalms, prays for the removal of the personal and social disorders that sin has brought. The poem has two parts of approximately equal length: Ps 51:3–10 and Ps 51:11–19, and a conclusion in Ps 51:20–21. The two parts interlock by repetition of “blot out” in the first verse of each section (Ps 51:3, 11), of “wash (away)” just after the first verse of each section (Ps 51:4) and just before the last verse (Ps 51:9) of the first section, and of “heart,” “God,” and “spirit” in Ps 51:12, 19. The first part (Ps 51:3–10) asks deliverance from sin, not just a past act but its emotional, physical, and social consequences. The second part (Ps 51:11–19) seeks something more profound than wiping the slate clean: nearness to God, living by the spirit of God (Ps 51:12–13). (Psalms, PSALM 51, n.d.)

The Reading from the Letter of Paul to the Romans contrasts Humanity’s Sin through Adam. and Grace and Life through Christ.

* [5:12–21] Paul reflects on the sin of Adam (Gn 3:1–13) in the light of the redemptive mystery of Christ. Sin, as used in the singular by Paul, refers to the dreadful power that has gripped humanity, which is now in revolt against the Creator and engaged in the exaltation of its own desires and interests. But no one has a right to say, “Adam made me do it,” for all are culpable (Rom 5:12): Gentiles under the demands of the law written in their hearts (Rom 2:14–15), and Jews under the Mosaic covenant. Through the Old Testament law, the sinfulness of humanity that was operative from the beginning (Rom 5:13) found further stimulation, with the result that sins were generated in even greater abundance. According to Rom 5:15–21, God’s act in Christ is in total contrast to the disastrous effects of the virus of sin that invaded humanity through Adam’s crime.

* [5:12] Inasmuch as all sinned: others translate “because all sinned,” and understand v 13 as a parenthetical remark. Unlike Wis 2:24, Paul does not ascribe the entry of death to the devil. (Romans, CHAPTER 5, n.d.)

The Gospel of Matthew presents The Temptation of Jesus.

* [4:1–11] Jesus, proclaimed Son of God at his baptism, is subjected to a triple temptation. Obedience to the Father is a characteristic of true sonship, and Jesus is tempted by the devil to rebel against God, overtly in the third case, more subtly in the first two. Each refusal of Jesus is expressed in language taken from the Book of Deuteronomy (Dt 8:3; 6:13, 16). The testings of Jesus resemble those of Israel during the wandering in the desert and later in Canaan, and the victory of Jesus, the true Israel and the true Son, contrasts with the failure of the ancient and disobedient “son,” the old Israel. In the temptation account Matthew is almost identical with Luke; both seem to have drawn upon the same source.

* [4:2] Forty days and forty nights: the same time as that during which Moses remained on Sinai (Ex 24:18). The time reference, however, seems primarily intended to recall the forty years during which Israel was tempted in the desert (Dt 8:2).

* [4:4] Cf. Dt 8:3. Jesus refuses to use his power for his own benefit and accepts whatever God wills.

* [4:5–7] The devil supports his proposal by an appeal to the scriptures, Ps 91:11a, 12. Unlike Israel (Dt 6:16), Jesus refuses to “test” God by demanding from him an extraordinary show of power.

* [4:9] The worship of Satan to which Jesus is tempted is probably intended to recall Israel’s worship of false gods. His refusal is expressed in the words of Dt 6:13. (Matthew, CHAPTER 4 | USCCB, n.d.)

Rev. Jim Caime, SJ, notes with a question that Lent begins here. Not with dramatic penances. Not with grand spiritual gestures. But with a quiet, searching question:

“Where have I allowed harm to take root in me?”

 Perhaps we enter Lent to unlearn the logic of harm and learn again the way of trust.

“Beat your swords into plows.”

It is an ancient promise.
And a daily decision.

Maybe the first grace of Lent is simply this:
to let ourselves feel the grief.
to allow the tears.
to ask for our sight to return.

The desert clears the eyes.
It reminds us that love is not weakness.
It reminds us that restraint is strength.
It reminds us that all is holy here.

And perhaps Lent begins when we dare to believe again that the only law is love. (Caime, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “On the Snare of the Devil,” by Ambrose, 339-397 A.D.

"The devil said to Jesus: 'If you are the son of God, command that these stones become bread' (Luke 4:3). Here we learn that there are three principal weapons that the devil likes to carry in order to wound our souls. They are gluttony, arrogance and ambition. Here begins the weapon with which he has already been victorious. We likewise should begin to be victorious in Christ in the very same area in which we have been defeated in Adam - we should be wary of gluttony. The devious trap is set for us when the table is laid for a royal banquet - it is bound to weaken our defences.

"See what weapons Christ uses to defeat the power of the devil. He does not use the almighty power he has as God - what help would that be to us? In his humanity he summons the help common to all - overlooking bodily hunger and seeking the word of God for nourishment.

"Whoever follows the Word is no longer attached to earthly bread, because he receives the bread of heaven and knows the divine is better than the human, the spiritual is better than the physical. Therefore, because such a person desires the true life, he looks for that which fortifies the heart by means of its invisible substance." (excerpt from On the Gospel of St. Luke, 4, 17) (Schwager, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler explores Genesis 2, the beginning of the story Creation in the Garden, and the command not to eat of the tree of good and evil or all knowledge. The cunning and clever animal of temptation exaggerates the prohibition and Eve responds about not touching, falsely extending the prohibition, to underline the injustice she feels. In Hebrew, there is some ambiguity about the translation of death. Eve wants to bring others into the fall as we often seek to do. In the Letter to the Romans, Paul writes of sin entering the world through one man and we all live in the consequences of original sin that Friar Jude comments may be interpreted as guilt. Dad robbed the bank and it changed my life. We learn of our impact on others and by the time we are born we suffer from the selfishness around us. Jesus is the One who can cancel that death decision. The temptation in the desert presents comfort, putting God to the test, and power to Jesus. Friar Jude notes we are all tempted to misuse our gifts through which we will have sullied something precious.

The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 4:1-11 comments that in the wilderness, Jesus defeated the devil by trusting his Father and aligning himself with his will. At the same time, he showed us how to battle our own temptations.

We all face testing. Our Lenten fasting is difficult, our best-laid plans go awry, someone we love falls ill. In our “wilderness,” we are tempted to doubt the goodness of God’s plan. In our “hunger,” we wonder if he will provide. But Jesus promises that we will not be tested beyond our ability (1 Corinthians 10:13). And he is with us to give us strength.

Cling to the Lord today—he knows what it is to be hungry.

“Lord, help me to trust in your ways and resist temptation.” (Meditation on Matthew 4:1-11, n.d.)

Fr Richard Rohr, OFM, describes how the Exodus story models a growing trust in God through times of unknowing. The stories of Exodus make inner sense to us only as we ourselves walk a journey of faith. If we listen to the Spirit, we can rather easily relate these stories to our own life.

We have to turn to God and allow ourselves to be led on this faith journey. We have to be willing to experience the Exodus in our own lives and enter into our own desert wanderings. We have to let God liberate us from captivity to freedom, from Egypt to Canaan, not fully knowing how to cross the desert between the two.

The prophet Moses takes the risk of faith. All that God gives him is a promise, and yet he acts on that promise. People of faith expect the promises of their deepest soul to be fulfilled; for them, life becomes a time between promise and fulfillment. It’s never a straight line, but always three steps forward and two backward—and the backward creates much of the knowledge and impetus for the forward.

Can we trust, like the Israelites, that the way to the Promised Land is through the desert? When we least expect it, there is an oasis. As the Scriptures promise, God will make the desert bloom (Isaiah 35:1). (Rohr, 2025)

We need to invoke the Spirit to guide us in these times where we are tempted by the misinformation proclaimed with evil intent to erode our trust in Providence and divert us from the path of faith, hope and love as true guideposts for our journey.

References

Caime, J. (n.d.). Daily Reflection. Creighton Online Ministries: Home. Retrieved February 22, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-february-22-2026 

Genesis, CHAPTER 2. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved February 22, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/genesis/2?7 

Genesis, CHAPTER 3 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved February 22, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/genesis/3 

Matthew, CHAPTER 4 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved February 22, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/4?1 

Meditation on Matthew 4:1-11. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved February 22, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/02/22/1506886/ 

Psalms, PSALM 51. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved February 22, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/51?3 

Rohr, R. (2025, March 13). Leaving for the Promised Land. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved February 22, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/leaving-for-the-promised-land/ 

Romans, CHAPTER 5. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved February 22, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/romans/5?12 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Jesus Fasted and Was Tempted by the Devil. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved February 22, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/