This solemnity is given to us in the context of the Gospel Matthew which tells us: Jesus said to his disciples: "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who 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 drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.' What does this mean for you and me—right here and now? As a Catholic priest I am often taken aback when

Catholics and non-Catholics alike tell me that “the Church is always asking for money.” Indeed She does, She has, and She always will. I suppose as a new priest 14 years ago I was either embarrassed or aggravated by these statements. Now I am proud of the fact that “our Church” that does ask for much. Why? There is both a lot to be accomplished and “the Church” that is asking for this work to be done in God’s name--and I’d say that’s good company with which to be associated.

Today’s gospel is clear: feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, sheltering the homeless and giving comfort and welcome to the lost and the stranger, caring for the sick are all things of God. They are His Work. His Mission. His Ministry. And they are ours too. In freedom—God’s gift of Free Will—we are able to choose whether or not we wish to help Him. As it is our choice I no longer take offence when some “mock a second collection or two.” The Church is sent only to help tend the vineyard, not to judge the response of individual harvesters. That’s God’s job, and we see from Christ in today’s gospel how He will handle it. The role of the Church is to help individual believers understand some of the ways God’s work can become their work here on earth.

Here at Saint Catherine of Siena Parish we can join in with the many volunteers at Pantry Partners, Feed the Hungry or St. Elizabeth House and provide meals to the hungry. With our support of the Knights of Malta or the Neighbors in Need program this Advent Season we can help a young mother and child or a working class family receive the health care they need and deserve as a fellow human beings. From monograms to diabetic care and more our outreach extends beyond the physical needs to spiritual support--through our Prayer Shawl ministry offering comfort to the vulnerable, Eucharistic Ministers visiting the homebound and hospitalized with Christ Himself; by our Youth Ministry and their outreach to seniors at McLean or their witnessing of Christ’s love in social justice to other youths who seek the relevance of faith in the modern world. From leaf rakers illustrating Christ’s call to help others and our Women’s Club Ministry support of the Little Sisters of the Poor--you can be part of this if you wish.

Through the wider Church, the Archdiocese of 'Hartford, your support of the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal will enable the Church to support education for poor children, help locate and assimilate refugees to a new, productive life, or care for the elderly poor with daily medications, building housing for working poor families, lifting up children to new hope by spreading the Good News of the Gospel and the promise of Christ’s Eternal Life to all. The Archbishop’s Annual Appeal is perhaps the Archdiocese’s largest effort to transform the lives of those who have little or nothing and need hope. This is Christ’s mission and ministry that we now may choose to carry on.

Now today when I hear some questioning of the Catholic Church’s outreach programs I think of these words: Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 'Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.'