Law Love and Judgement

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to examine the depth of our love and care as we reflect on the relevance of ancient Law and Jesus teaching on our response to the needs of others.

Serving Needs of All

The reading from the Book of Leviticus is a guide for Ritual and Moral Holiness.

* [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 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 19 praises God’s Glory in Creation and 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 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus describes the Judgement 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 | USCCB, n.d.)

David Crawford considers the idea that our own faith can be the source of barriers. 

I suspect a good percentage of the goats Jesus dismisses were devout, faithful souls whose misguided adherence to some of God’s commandments was not founded on love.  To borrow from our Leviticus reading, they may have been happy to reprove a brother, but in so doing incurred sin by not following the commandment to love their neighbor.  How many times did Jesus challenge the Pharisees, a group known for piety, who objected to how Jesus conducted his affairs?  And how often did Jesus extend mercy and kindness to the “unacceptable” folks who needed his healing and love?  The sheep provide food, drink, welcome, clothes, compassion and love to the vulnerable.

Paul tells us (Ephesians 2:14) that Christ, who is our peace, breaks down the dividing walls.  May we follow His example.
Loving God, remove the barriers so that keep us from loving our neighbors and our enemies.  Let all of our words, thoughts and acts find favor before you, O Lord, our rock and redeemer. (Crawford, 2025)

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.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 25:31-46 comments that every day Jesus comes to us in our suffering brothers and sisters and asks us to care for them.

As we begin Lent, we are all trying to open our hearts to God’s grace. What better way than to obey Jesus’ words in today’s Gospel? First, to see Jesus when we encounter a brother or sister in need. And second, to minister to Jesus’ needs by taking care of that person. It can be as simple as offering a cup of cold water or visiting someone who is sick. Every day, God is giving us opportunities to see and love Jesus in his people facing challenges. As we care for them, we will move one step closer to our Lord and to his heavenly kingdom.

“Holy Spirit, help me to see Jesus in people who are suffering and to respond generously to their needs.” (Meditation on Matthew 25:31-46, 2025)

Friar Jude Winkler comments about the gift of the Law to clarify to the people when they are committing sin and walking in the way of the Lord. In Matthew 25, Jesus clarifies that the good and evil done to others is done to Him. Friar Jude reminds us that like rain on the good and wicked we show love and consideration to all.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, comments that as many scholars have agreed, the notion of a God-initiated, unilaterally fulfilled divine relationship is the highest peak of any spirituality, especially since most of us fear, deep down, that we’re unworthy of it.

It is deeply unfortunate that our interpretation of the old covenant is so enmeshed in our dualistic logic of “tit for tat” that most Christians remain untouched by Jeremiah’s proclamation of a spiritual revolution. We remain content with retribution and vengeance passing for justice. We would rather stand outside of love than receive a love of which we believe we are not worthy—or have not earned or cannot figure out. We think the old covenant at least tells us where we stand, even if it is outside of paradise. We seem to find certitude more comforting than we do trust or love. Infinite love is literally too much for most of us to comprehend. We think we know how to love—alone. But how do we know and love together with a “divine another” living within us? The answer is by participation rather than performance—riding the divine coattails, as it were. (Rohr, n.d.)

We ponder the example of Jesus and the Law that identifies the actions of “sheep” and “goats” and seek guidance of the Spirit to extend our love and support to all people in need.

References

Crawford, D. (2025, March 10). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved March 10, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/031025.html 

Leviticus, CHAPTER 19 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved March 10, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/leviticus/19?1 

Matthew, CHAPTER 25 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved March 10, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/25?31 

Meditation on Matthew 25:31-46. (2025, March 10). The Word Among Us. Retrieved March 10, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/2025/03/10/1224100/ 

Psalms, PSALM 19 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved March 10, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/19?8 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). The “Threat” of Unconditional Love. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved March 10, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/the-threat-of-unconditional-love/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Eternal Life Versus Eternal Punishment. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved March 10, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=mar10 

Praise and Reversal

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to contemplate the response of praise to the surrender of Hannah and Mary to the will of God that resonates with reversal of fortune on our path.

Blessed on our Path

In the reading from the First Book of Samuel, Hannah presents Samuel to the Lord.

* [1:24] Ephah: see note on Is 5:10. (1 Samuel, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB, n.d.)

The response from 1 Samuel Chapter 2 is Hannah’s Prayer

* [2:1–10] Hannah appeals to a God who maintains order by keeping human affairs in balance, reversing the fortunes of the arrogant, who, like Peninnah, boast of their good fortune (vv. 1, 3, 9) at the expense of those like Hannah who receive less from the Lord. Hannah’s admission places her among the faithful who trust that God will execute justice on their behalf. The reference “his king ... his anointed” (v. 10) recalls the final sentence of the Book of Judges and introduces the kingship theme that dominates the Books of Samuel. (1 Samuel, CHAPTER 2 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Gospel of Luke presents the Magnificat, Mary’s song of Praise.

* [1:46–55] Although Mary is praised for being the mother of the Lord and because of her belief, she reacts as the servant in a psalm of praise, the Magnificat. Because there is no specific connection of the canticle to the context of Mary’s pregnancy and her visit to Elizabeth, the Magnificat (with the possible exception of v. 48) may have been a Jewish Christian hymn that Luke found appropriate at this point in his story. Even if not composed by Luke, it fits in well with themes found elsewhere in Luke: joy and exultation in the Lord; the lowly being singled out for God’s favor; the reversal of human fortunes; the fulfillment of Old Testament promises. The loose connection between the hymn and the context is further seen in the fact that a few Old Latin manuscripts identify the speaker of the hymn as Elizabeth, even though the overwhelming textual evidence makes Mary the speaker. (Luke, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB, n.d.)

Eileen Wirth comments that the visitation makes both Mary and Elizabeth so relatable.

They’re like the women I know who get through life by sharing with and supporting each other.

I’m fascinated by Elizabeth, the wise older cousin who was perhaps the only person Mary knew that could understand what was going on. “The Magnificat” is so lovely and poetic that it’s easy to forget that it is also a risky statement of Mary’s special relationship with God. She could only have spoken this way to someone who would not think she was delusional. 

This story also reminds us that God made us social creatures who relate to him through our relationships with people. A Mary who hid in a cave instead of explaining what was happening would not have been venerated for centuries as a universal mother.

Like Mary and Elizabeth, we need to accompany people in times of joy and sorrow and to allow others to accompany us. (Wirth, 2023)

Don Schwager quotes “Mary preaches the new kingdom,” by Ephrem the Syrian (306-373 AD).

"[Mary] revealed to Elizabeth what the angel spoke to her in secret, and that he called her blessed because she believed in the realization of the prophecy and the teaching that she heard (Luke 146-55). Then Mary gently brought forth the fruit of what she heard from the angel and Elizabeth: 'My soul bless the Lord.' Elizabeth had said, 'Blessed is she who has believed,' and Mary replied, 'From henceforth all generations will call me blessed.' It was then that Mary began to preach the new kingdom. 'She returned home after three months,' so that the Lord whom she was carrying would not begin service before his servant. She returned to her husband to clarify the matter, for if she had become pregnant through human fruit, it would have been appropriate for her to flee from her husband." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON TATIAN'S DIATESSARON 1.28) (Schwager, 2019)

The Word Among Us Meditation on 1 Samuel 1:24-28 asks was Hannah tempted to hang on to her son Samuel? We don’t know for sure. But we see that she ultimately did leave him at the temple. Which tells us that Hannah was willing to entrust his future—and hers—to the Lord. And once she did, she felt free enough to lift her voice in praise to God (1 Samuel 2:1-10). And Samuel? He became a mighty prophet and leader in Israel.

Hannah is an example to us all. We can trust God’s plan for the gifts he gives us. So rejoice in the graces God has freely bestowed on you. Enjoy his gifts! But don’t hold onto them too tightly.

“Thank you, Lord, for all your gifts to me. Show me the times when I need to loosen my grip on them.” (Meditation on 1 Samuel 1:24-28, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler notes that Samuel was one of the last judges of Israel, as a child dedicated by Hannah to the Lord. Mary, the Queen of the anawim, resonates with the setting of the Magnificat, as a poor woman, with a low income station, from a desolate village who travels to help her cousin. Friar Jude reminds us of the geographical significance of Elizabeth living in Ein Karem, near Abu Ghosh, and Mary, the New Ark of the Covenant, staying there for three months. 

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, comments that in Matthew 25, Jesus identifies himself as incarnate always through people in need. Catholic Worker co-founder Dorothy Day (1897–1980) expands on this gospel message. Day offers examples of those who ministered to the Christ child and how we can too:

In Christ’s human life, there were always a few who made up for the neglect of the crowd. The shepherds did it; their hurrying to the crib atoned for the people who would flee from Christ. The wise men did it; their journey across the world made up for those who refused to stir one hand’s breadth from the routine of their lives to go to Christ. Even the gifts the wise men brought have in themselves an obscure recompense and atonement for what would follow later in this Child’s life. For they brought gold, the king’s emblem, to make up for the crown of thorns that He would wear; they offered incense, the symbol of praise, to make up for the mockery and the spitting; they gave Him myrrh, to heal and soothe, and He was wounded from head to foot….

We can do it too, exactly as they did. We are not born too late. We do it by seeing Christ and serving Christ in friends and strangers, in everyone we come in contact with…. For a total Christian, the goad of duty is not needed … to perform this or that good deed. It is not a duty to help Christ, it is a privilege. (Rohr, 2023)

We are blessed with family, friends, and people in our environment that activate our good angel and move us to action and praise in Jesus Way.

References

Luke, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved December 22, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/1?46 

Meditation on 1 Samuel 1:24-28. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved December 22, 2023, from https://wau.org/meditations/2023/12/22/854073/ 

1 Samuel, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved December 22, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1samuel/1?24 

1 Samuel, CHAPTER 2 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved December 22, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1samuel/2?1 

Rohr, R. (2023, December 22). Room for Christ — Center for Action and Contemplation. CAC Daily Meditations 2023. Retrieved December 22, 2023, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/room-for-christ/ 

Schwager, D. (2019, June 24). Joyful Expectation of the Messiah. Daily Scripture net. Retrieved December 22, 2023, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2023&date=dec22 

Wirth, E. (2023, December 22). Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries. Online Ministries. Retrieved December 22, 2023, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/122223.html