Just as you did it to one of the least of these
FIRST READING
With justice you shall judge your neighbour.
A reading from the book of Leviticus.
1 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
2 Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel
and say to them:
You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.
11 You shall not steal;
you shall not deal falsely;
and you shall not lie to one another.
12 And you shall not swear falsely by my name,
profaning the name of your God:
I am the Lord.
13 You shall not defraud your neighbour;
you shall not steal;
and you shall not keep for yourself
the wages of a labourer until morning.
14 You shall not revile the deaf
or put a stumbling block before the blind;
you shall fear your God:
I am the Lord.
15 You shall not render an unjust judgment;
you shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great:
with justice you shall judge your neighbour.
16 You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people,
and you shall not profit by the blood of your neighbour:
I am the Lord.
17 You shall not hate in your heart anyone of your kin;
you shall reprove your neighbour,
or you will incur guilt yourself.
18 You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge
against any of your people,
but you shall love your neighbour as yourself:
I am the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
(Psalm 19.7, 8, 9, 14)
(R. John 6.63b)
Response: Your words, Lord, are spirit and life.
7 The law of the Lord is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the decrees of the Lord are sure,
making wise the simple.
8 The precepts of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is clear,
enlightening the eyes.
9 The fear of the Lord is pure,
enduring forever;
the ordinances of the Lord are true
and righteous altogether.
14 Let the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable to you,
O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
GOSPEL
(Matthew 25.31-46)
Jesus said to his disciples:
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory,
and all the angels with him,
then he will sit on the throne of his glory.
32 All the nations will be gathered before him,
and he will separate people one from another
as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats,
33 and he will put the sheep at his right hand
and the goats at the left.
34 “Then the king will say to those at his right hand,
‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father,
inherit the kingdom prepared for you
from the foundation of the world;
35 for I was hungry and you gave me food,
I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink,
I was a stranger and you welcomed me,
36 I was naked and you gave me clothing,
I was sick and you took care of me,
I was in prison and you visited me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer him,
‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food,
or thirsty and gave you something to drink?
38 And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you,
or naked and gave you clothing?
39 And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison
and visited you?’
40 And the king will answer them,
‘Truly I tell you,
just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine,
you did it to me.’
41 “Then he will say to those at his left hand,
‘You that are accursed,
depart from me into the eternal fire
prepared for the devil and his angels;
42 for I was hungry and you gave me no food,
I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,
43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me,
naked and you did not give me clothing,
sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’
44 “Then they also will answer,
‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty
or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison,
and did not take care of you?’
45 Then he will answer them,
‘Truly I tell you,
just as you did not do it to one of the least of these,
you did not do it to me.’
46 And these will go away into eternal punishment,
but the righteous into eternal life.”