August has always been a time of preparation and anticipation for me as I look forward to the arrival of two new foreign exchange students for the upcoming school year. As a Catholic Christian and involved in the Evangelical Charity Ministry, the story of the Sheep and the Goats, which is found in Matt 25:35-46, stands at the center of my life and ministry in the Church. The story describes the final judgment: “I was hungry, thirsty, a stranger, needed clothes, was sick, and was in prison…”
Matt 25:35 “…a stranger and you welcomed me…” especially resonates with me. Though the two young people, arriving from different countries, are not destitute or homeless, nonetheless, they arrive here in anticipation of being accepted for who they are and welcomed. As Christians, we are encouraged to be non-judgmental and accepting.
Opportunities to offer a welcoming gesture can be as simple as greeting someone at Mass, whether you know the person or not. Encouraging someone to join a church ministry, opening a door for someone at a store, and smiling and treating a server at a restaurant with respect. The possibilities are endless. Recalling Matthew 25:46 “…Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.” We are to evangelize through word and action. Calling oneself a Christian is just not good enough. “We are called to act with justice; we are called to love tenderly; we are called to serve one another, to walk humbly with God.”
