Matthew 25:31-46
Jesus said, "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. 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, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. 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; 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, 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.' 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? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?' And the king will answer them, `Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.' 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; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 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.' 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?' 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.' And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
Once the Devil was walking along with one of his cohorts. They saw a man ahead of them pick up something shiny. "What did he find?" asked the cohort... "A piece of the truth," the Devil replied... "Doesn't it bother you that he found a piece of the truth?" asked the cohort... "No," said the Devil, "I will see to it that he makes a religion out of it."
On the day of His arrest Jesus stands before Pilate... Pilate questions Him and finally declares, “You are a king, then!”... Jesus responds, “You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me”... Pilate responds by asking, "What is truth?".. “What is truth?”... it would seem to be a good question.
In theology.. there are all sorts of truth.. ontological truth.. Moral truth... logical truth.. which is broken down into various theories.. the Scholastic theory of truth.. The Hegelian theory of truth.. The pragmatic theory... the "new" realist theory... all of which are trying to define what we would normally think a rather easy term to define.. but - in truth - it is not... don't worry.. we aren't going through all these theories... but I did want to at least try and understand what Jesus meant when he said.. that he came to "testify to the truth.".. or even when He refers to himself as "the Way.. the Truth.. and the Life"
In our society we have several ways of defining truth... not telling a lie... what you perceive to be correct... reality as truth.. but at issue here is that so often this way of looking at truth turns out to be more opinion than truth... One that comes up often in religious circles ask... "Is there more than one way to God?"... Are only the Christians right.. or do the Muslims get to go to heaven also? And if it is the Christians.. then which denomination... Baptist... Catholics... Episcopalians?... Just because "you" think something is right and believe it with all your heart to be true... does that make it true..? Answer.. No. Someone is wrong...
In the quest for truth... our opinions.. beliefs.. play a major role and are generally the determining factor in what we consider to be truth... but as I said.. just because you believe it does not make it so.... For example.. Once, a stubborn disputer was arguing with Abraham Lincoln.. so Lincoln asked.. "Well, let's see.. how many legs has a cow?" ... "Four, of course," came the reply disgustedly. ... "That's right," agreed Lincoln. "Now suppose you call the cow's tail a leg; how many legs would the cow have?"... "Why, five, of course," was the confident reply... "Now, that's where you're wrong," said Lincoln. "Simply calling a cow's tail.. a leg.. doesn't make it a leg."
So.. When Jesus says that he is the Truth.. and that he came to testify to that Truth.. is he simply stating his opinion.. his belief in what the truth is... or was he stating something absolute... something that is unquestionable about who He is?
If you walk into anyone's house that has kids or grandkids.. you will most likely see some wonderful pictures on the refrigerator... not necessarily of the kids.. but pictures the kids have drawn... It is not always discernible as to what that picture is.. but it has received a place of honor with its little magnet holding it there...
If you were to ask that same child to draw a picture of you.. you would probably end up with a little stick figure.. with a round head.. round eyes.. funny nose and a line for a mouth... Would anyone else know it was you? Unless the child is a prodigy.. most likely not...
If we got someone like Picasso to draw the picture of you.. well.. the child's picture would probably come closer to looking like you than Picasso's... But.. if we had one of the impressionist like Degas or Monet paint your picture.. well it would be pretty darn good.. but being an impressionist.. we might still not be able to tell it was you...
Now with someone like Rembrandt or Caravaggio we would know exactly who the painting was of.. and I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be hanging on your refrigerator with a with a chubby cherub angel magnet holding it up...
Yet even in the best of paintings.. have we truly captured you.. is it a perfect rendition of who you are?... No... but what if we went to Annie Leibovitz.. or maybe even Holly Pickett.. and had her take your picture... now we would be getting somewhere... she's taken all sorts of pictures of famous people - not all of them alive - ... yet.. we still would not have captured you for who you are...
In fact... if we were to see your reflection in a flawless mirror.. we still would not have a true image of who you are...
When we try and see God.. to understand him as the truth... we encounter this same problem... as St. Paul wrote to the Corinthians... "Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known."... You and I were created in the very image of God... yet we cannot capture God for who He truly is simply by looking at one another.. we might get glimpses.. and we should encounter one another as though we were encountering Christ himself.. but we still can't see God fully... As St. Augustine wrote.. when the "truth has been broken down or even slightly weakened, all things will remain doubtful."... the truth of God within us - due to sin - has broken down.. weakened... therefore the image of God in which we were created has been distorted and is no longer as true...
But do you remember the time in John's Gospel when Jesus tells the disciples he is going to prepare a place for them.. and that they know the way.. and then Andrew says.. how can we know the way.. and it is then that Jesus says to them, "I am the way.. the truth.. and the life”.. and then Philip makes that bold request... "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us." And Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.".. Anyone who has seen me, has seen God.
We may not be able to look to one another and see the full truth of God.. but we can look to Jesus. Why?... Jesus is not the greatest artist's rendition of God... he is not a photograph of God... he is not some distorted image of God... He is God incarnate.. God... The truth that Jesus came to testify to.. was the truth about the very nature and love of God
Today is the celebration of Christ the King... it is the last Sunday of the Church year... and throughout this Church year.. we have been witnesses of this nature and love of God ... At his birth.. Jesus says.. I love you enough to give up heaven itself... In the healing of the blind.. he says I love you enough to give you sight... in the curing of the lame.. he says I love you enough to give you health... in the feeding of the 5,000.. he says I love you enough to care for you... In the miracles - walking on the water.. calming the storm.. changing the water into wine - he says.. I love you enough to change the very fabric and nature of creation itself ... and the truth of God's love is no where more clear.. than in Christ upon the Cross... because in that one act.. God tells you how far he is willing to go... how far he is willing to go.. to show his love for you... that is not opinion... that is truth...
But.. the story does not end there... For Jesus says... "I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing."... What has he been doing? We just answered that.. He has been Loving... We are to do the same.. and not from compunction or command, but also from love... From love we are to feed the hungry... From love we are to give drink to the thirsty... welcome the stranger.. care for the sick... visit the captive.
We, as the people of God, are called to witness to the truth of God and that truth is love... 1st John 4:8, “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love”.. God is love.. and we know him.. when we do what he has been doing - loving - then the King will say to us, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”
Let us pray... God of wisdom and love, you have sent your Son Jesus to be the light of the world, and continue to send your Holy Spirit among us to guide us into the way of truth... Open our hearts to your word and let us ponder your actions among us. Give us your Spirit of wisdom and knowledge, of understanding and counsel. With Mary, may we rejoice in your gifts, and walk in the way of truth and love... With all your people on earth and in eternity, we ask this prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ, in the unity of your loving Spirit, one holy God, for ever and ever. Amen!
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