In his epistle to the Romans, St. Paul speaks of “that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.” The Last Judgment, which we remember today, is part of the Gospel, part of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Why? As St. Romanus the Melodist says in his kontakion for St. Elijah, the name of God’s justice is mercy. On the Last Day, all who have desired and chosen God’s mercy through repentance and their own acts at mercy will receive mercy; all who have chosen something else, using their God-granted gift of free will, will receive something else. Seen in this light, the parable of the sheep and the goats is not a frightening morality to story that “guilts” us into acts of care for others. Rather, it is an affirmation of that principle found in the Lord’s Prayer: “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Those who choose to accept God’s love and mercy will find themselves compelled to share that same love and mercy with others, especially the least among their brethren.
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