Inheritance

Monday of the First Week of Lent
Gospel: Matthew 25:31-46
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/031025.cfm

The Ten Commandments are a set of rules about what you shouldn’t do. To do what they say to not do, you are committing a sin of commission. A sin of commission is taking on an action that you know you shouldn’t do. A sin of commission is actively doing something wrong, whereas a sin of omission is not taking an action that you know is right.

Jesus’s guidance focuses on what you should do and less on what you shouldn’t do. His teaching is about taking the right action. In the golden rule, he calls us to do unto others. In today’s gospel, his parable takes a similar stance. It’s action oriented. He states that those who give food to the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, care for the sick, and visit the prisoner will inherit the Kingdom of God and those that do not act in this way will not.

While on the surface it sounds like a sin of omission, for Jesus it is deeper. To inherit something from someone, you must be related to that person. Specifically, you are a child to that person. To not inherit, you are of no relation. It’s not about what you should or shouldn’t do, but who and what you are. The act of caring for others is to be a child of God. It’s not just caring, it’s acting upon that care. God’s glory is found in caring for those in need. As we are all children of God, it’s about time we start living according to that birthright.