Monday - Lenten Weekday
18th February 2013
Today’s readings
Leviticus 19: 1-2.11-18
Psalm 18: 8-9.10-15
Matthew 25: 31 – 46
“Though we do not have our Lord
with us in bodily presence, we have our neighbour, who, for the ends of love
and loving service, is as good as our Lord himself,” said St. Teresa of Avila. In
the life of a beggar there is Jesus Christ. In the life of a prisoner there is
Jesus Christ. In the life of someone who is thirsty there is Jesus Christ. In
the life of a naked there is Jesus Christ. In the life of a hungry person there
is Jesus Christ. Jesus is travelling incognito. He goes around with a disguised
identity as the needy. Jesus’ identity is hidden in the needy. If you help the
needy you are helping Jesus. He will say to you: “whatever you did for one of
these least brothers of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25: 40).
You can help the least brothers
and sisters of Jesus by giving alms. Remember, charity is a virtue of the heart
and not of the hand. On this St. Leo the Great had this to say: “We know that,
before the merciful God, the generosity of alms exceeds fasts, as the Lord
says: ‘Give alms, and all things will be clean for you’ (Luke 11:41) from
sordidness of our sins, let us not deny alms to the poor, so that on the day of
retribution, in order to gain the mercy of God, we might be helped by our works
of mercy” (Matthew 25: 34 – 40).
