During my training for the priesthood I volunteered to distribute food to the destitute at a large railway station. It could be distressing and even a bit risky, there were occasional fights, but everybody had their story, some truly amazing, but somehow life just went wrong. Everybody’s life is fragile and my experience of being with these sisters and brothers showed me that life can go wrong for any of us at any time. Western societies are rich and there is more than enough to go round, it just doesn’t seem to work that way. The rich get richer and the poor at best stand still.

It was just the same in the time of Jesus but Judaism at that time was unique among religions. Most religions were concerned with transactions between people and their particular gods - if I did this for my favourite god, then they might just favour me.

Judaism was different with God instructing his people to care for the widow, the orphan and the stranger with an emphasis on justice and right conduct. However, at the same time, material wealth and security was associated with being favoured by God and being poor was associated with being punished for sin, either their own or that of their forebears.

At the same time, paradoxically, people seen as being great sinners also seemed to be doing very nicely, such as Matthew the tax collector. It was totally illogical and Jesus calls it out for what it is. Jesus says that God loves all of his children equally, God calls all of us, without exception, to repentance, reconciliation with him and with each other, and to a loving relationship with him, now and into eternity.

In Sunday's Gospel Jesus shows us two things - how the good things in life are transient and that in the fullness of God’s kingdom our perspective on reality will be turned upside down where the last will be first, where the have nots in our society will process the fullness of God’s kingdom.

There is also in Sunday's gospel a clear warning, it is a warning repeated elsewhere, that those of us that have more than we need will be measured by the extent of our love, generosity and service to our brothers and sisters in need; all of us, priests and people, Popes and Cardinals, everyone. One of the surest ways to hell is indifference to those in need. To favour the rich over the poor. The powerful over the powerless.

So what are we to do? First, all of us in different ways have a responsibility to take action on this teaching. This can take many forms, but at its centre, particularly for those of us who are fortunate to have more than we need, we need to take to heart the warning of Jesus. He could not be clearer about how we will be judged at the end of our earthly lives - we will be judged by how we have judged others; we will be judged by how we have treated others.

Have we noticed the poor around us and what are we doing about it? Sometimes it’s not about the grand gesture of a big donation to charity (good though that is). Maybe it starts with just acknowledging the humanity of people we sometimes shun and prefer to ignore. Perhaps it’s about the smile and the small greeting to the person with the paper cup outside the bus station. It’s about, even in small ways, acknowledging a person’s humanity, that they like us are created in the image and likeness of God and a temple of the Holy Spirit. When you do this to the least of our brothers and sisters you do this for Jesus himself. Remember, Jesus has many disguises.

This week's bulletin is attached.

As always please be assured of my daily prayers for your needs and intentions.

Fr Chris