“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.” (Matthew 25:35-36)

We may recognize this passage from yesterday’s gospel reading and what is sometimes referred to as the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats, or The Judgment of the Nations. The King (Jesus) returns to judge the nations. He separates people by placing them on his right and left. To those on his right, he makes the above statement. They ask when did we feed you and give you drink, clothe you, take care of you, or visit you in prison?

He replies, “Whatever you did to one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.”  In other words, when we serve the needs of others, particularly the “least,” we serve Jesus as well.

Two weeks ago, I broke my right wrist. Since I am right-handed, I have become very dependent, and my wife, Marilynn, has had to help me with many ordinary daily tasks that I can no longer do myself, including some of those mentioned by Jesus above. Since I am currently quite dependent, I fall into the category “least brothers of mine.”  She has done this with patience, understanding, and love.

Her support of me, however, is not a one-time thing for she has been doing this throughout our sixty years of marriage with our five children, thirteen grandchildren, neighbors, and friends. This has been particularly true with our daughter, Emily, who was born with Down syndrome and is now 37. After Emily completed her schooling, she worked for a bakery and catering business for twelve years until it closed its doors during COVID.

Since then, Marilynn has worked tirelessly in helping Emily fill her day with meaning and purpose. She has provided a daily routine with a morning walk and various chores including getting the newspaper, making the beds, folding the laundry, getting the mail, taking out the trash, and setting the table for the evening meal. She developed the idea of Emily serving coffee and cookies after daily mass two days a week at our parish, St. Mark. She hired a job coach to assist with the preparation of the coffee and got the staff and pastor’s support. Emily has developed quite a following of people attending daily mass who come to receive a smile, a hug, and a cup of coffee.

Jesus says, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” (Matthew 25:34)

How do you look for ways to serve “these least brothers of mine?”