我们是在芝加哥遇见他的，就在我们住的地方附近。他叫John，是个无家可归的流浪汉。他唯一的交通工具就是一辆轮椅车。我们多次邀请他进屋或劝他住进收容所，都被他拒绝了。他唯一接受的是一点零钱和一些吃剩的食物。有些人会给他贴上失败者的标签。
在今天的比喻中，主耶稣用了一个不同的名字来形容成千上万像John这样的人，祂称他们是“弟兄中最小的”。事实上，那些还在母腹中的孩子、精神病人、残疾人、无家可归者、饥民、难民、囚犯，还有那些可能永远也不会生活得正常的人——这些人都属于“弟兄中最小的”。耶稣并不是说这些人是次等人，就好像他们没别人那么重要。祂乃是指出，我们凡做在像这样有需要的人身上的，就是做在祂身上。正如在加尔各答的特蕾莎修女说：“每当我们看见他们的脸，就看见了耶稣的脸。”
我们没有权利去批评像John这样无家可归的人——或任何其他有缺陷和处于劣势的人。我们当做的就是去帮助他们来彰显耶稣的爱。今天就祈求主，开启你的眼睛，使你能在潦倒困顿之人、弱势群体或其他有缺陷之人的脸上认出祂的脸。并祈求祂赐给你乐意帮助的心。
主啊，求祢帮助我们明白到，凡是做在有需要之人身上的，就是做在祢的身上。奉祢的名祈求，阿们。
马太福音 25:31-46
31“当人子在他荣耀里、同着众天使降临的时候，要坐在他荣耀的宝座上。
32万民都要聚集在他面前。他要把他们分别出来，好像牧羊的分别绵羊山羊一般，
33把绵羊安置在右边，山羊在左边。
34于是王要向那右边的说：‘你们这蒙我父赐福的，可来承受那创世以来为你们所预备的国；
35因为我饿了，你们给我吃，渴了，你们给我喝；我作客旅，你们留我住；
36我赤身露体，你们给我穿；我病了，你们看顾我；我在监里，你们来看我。’
37义人就回答说：‘主啊，我们什么时候见你饿了，给你吃，渴了，给你喝？
38什么时候见你作客旅，留你住，或是赤身露体，给你穿？
39又什么时候见你病了，或是在监里，来看你呢？’
40王要回答说：‘我实在告诉你们，这些事你们既做在我这弟兄中一个最小的身上，就是做在我身上了。’
41王又要向那左边的说：‘你们这被咒诅的人，离开我！进入那为魔鬼和他的使者所预备的永火里去！
42因为我饿了，你们不给我吃，渴了，你们不给我喝；
43我作客旅，你们不留我住；我赤身露体，你们不给我穿；我病了，我在监里，你们不来看顾我。’
44他们也要回答说：‘主啊，我们什么时候见你饿了，或渴了，或作客旅，或赤身露体，或病了，或在监里，不伺候你呢？’
45王要回答说：‘我实在告诉你们，这些事你们既不做在我这弟兄中一个最小的身上，就是不做在我身上了。’
46这些人要往永刑里去；那些义人要往永生里去。”
"Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." — Matthew 25:40
We saw him in the city of Chicago near the place where we were staying. His name was John, and he was homeless. His only means of transportation was a wheelchair. No matter how often he was invited to come inside or urged to stay at a shelter, he refused. The only thing he did accept was some change and some leftover food. Some people would label him a loser.
In today's parable the Lord Jesus uses a different name to describe millions of people like John. He calls them "the least of these." The unborn child; the person who is mentally or physically challenged; people who are homeless, or hungry, or refugees; people in prison; people who might never be able to live productive lives— all are among "the least of these." And Jesus does not mean these are lesser people, as if they were not as important as others. He adds that whatever we do for someone in need, we do it for him. As Mother Teresa of Calcutta put it, "When we look into the face of one of them, we see the face of Jesus."
It's not up to us to judge people like John, who was homeless— or anyone else who may face challenges or be at a disadvantage. Our task is simply to reach out and show Jesus' love. Ask the Lord today to open your eyes to see his face in the faces of people who are down and out, disadvantaged, or challenged in other ways. And pray for a willingness to reach out.
Lord, help us to realize that whatever we do for people in need, we are doing it for you. Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳
