Fr Peter Ireorji, MSP - Homily Monday, March 11, 2019

We serve the Lord when we serve a needy person. Jesus made this clear when He said that any kindness shown to the hungry, the thirsty, the homeless, the sick, the destitute, and the imprisoned will be judged as having been done directly to Him Matt 25:40,45. He identifies so closely with the oppressed that serving them in His name is the same as serving Him. Whenever we extend help in the name of Jesus through acts of caring, Jesus Himself is there even though we cannot see Him. At the final judgment, people will ask, ‘when did we ever see you in need of our help?’ God’s presence was not always obvious to Jesus’ contemporaries, and his presence is not always obvious to us either. It comes to us not in signs and wonders but in weakness, in the needs of others, whoever they are. And someday when we stand before Him, He will recall our deeds of love performed in His name and say, “Well done!” Let’s keep on serving Him by serving others. God’s service is more than mere preaching but by deeds. We serve Christ when we serve others in need. Shalom!