As we edge closer to the season of Great Lent, the Orthodox Church delivers a Gospel reading that can hit you in the gut—but in the best possible way. It’s the parable of the Last Judgment (Matthew 25:31-46), and it’s one of those passages you can’t just skim and move on. No, it grabs you by the shoulders, looks you square in the eyes, and says, “This is serious. Pay attention.”
This Sunday, known as “Meatfare Sunday,” is the final call before Lent gets real. We’ve already been moved by two Sundays leading to this one—the humility lesson from the Publican and Pharisee, and the soul-stirring mercy of the Prodigal Son. Now, the Church brings out the big guns. The Last Judgment is where we hit the ground running with our preparation, asking this essential question of ourselves: What will I have to show when I stand before God?
Christ Sets the Scene
Jesus doesn’t leave us guessing what the Day of Judgment will look like. It’s not vague. It’s not wrapped in theological riddles. He paints the picture in Matthew 25. Picture the Son of Man, seated in glory, surrounded by angels. All the nations gathered around Him. And then? He begins separating people like a shepherd does with sheep and goats. The criteria? Love in action—how we’ve treated the people who are hurting, the ones in need. Jesus says:
“Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me” (Matthew 25:40).
That’s it. The barometer isn’t church attendance or memorizing Scripture. It’s not how many people liked your religious posts on Instagram. It’s how you loved others—how you fed the hungry, welcomed the stranger, clothed the naked, and cared for the sick and imprisoned. Jesus aligns Himself so completely with the “least of these” that when we show mercy, it’s as though we’re directly serving Him. And when we don’t? Well, that’s something we all need to sit with.
Lessons From Those Who’ve Walked the Walk
The saints don’t pull punches when it comes to this. Their words cut through our excuses and demand action. St. John Chrysostom famously challenges us with this:
“Do you wish to honor the body of Christ? Do not ignore Him when He is naked. Do not pay Him homage in the church clad in silk, only to neglect Him outside where He is cold and ill-clad. He Who said: ‘This is My Body’ is the same Who said: ‘You saw Me hungry, and you did not feed Me.’”
Think about that for a second. It’s not good enough to light candles and reverently venerate icons if we’re walking past someone in need like they’re invisible. Our worship doesn’t stop when we leave the church—it has to spill over into every part of our lives.
St. Basil the Great is just as bold. He doesn’t mince words when it comes to material possessions:
“The bread which you hold back belongs to the hungry; the coat which you store in your closet belongs to the naked; the shoes that are rotting in your possession belong to the shoeless.”
Even that sweater at the back of your wardrobe you haven’t touched in two years? Yep. That, too, is what Basil’s talking about. The takeaway is clear—we’re not just called to generosity. We’re called to realize our excess is someone else’s need.
And then there’s St. Gregory the Theologian with his disarming simplicity:
“Give something, however small, to the one in need. For it is not small to one who has nothing. Neither is it small to God, if we have given what we could.”
This isn’t about grand gestures or waiting for the “perfect” time to help. It’s about doing what you can, right now. Because the little things—done with authentic love—make heaven take notice.
The bread which you hold back belongs to the hungry; the coat which you store in your closet belongs to the naked; the shoes that are rotting in your possession belong to the shoeless.
The Correct Response is Repentance - Not Fear
It would be easy to read about the Last Judgment and feel overwhelmed, even scared. But fear isn’t what God is after. He’s after repentance—a complete reorientation of our hearts.
Through the prophet Ezekiel, He says:
“I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live” (Ezekiel 33:11).
And St. Paul backs this up in Romans, promising:
“He will render to each one according to his works” (Romans 2:6).
God isn’t throwing around threats. No, this is an invitation. He’s giving us an opportunity to change—to wake up from the fog of selfishness and distraction and move toward a life of love and service.
When we hear the Church’s hymn this Sunday, the gravity of the moment hits hard:
“When You, O God, shall come to earth with glory, all things shall tremble, and the river of fire shall flow before Your judgment seat; the books shall be opened and the hidden things disclosed. Then deliver me from the unquenchable fire, and make me worthy to stand at Your right hand, O Judge most righteous.”
It’s a stark reminder, but it’s also filled with hope. There’s time. There’s grace. There’s everything we need to turn things around.
Taking the Challenge Personally
The truth is, none of us are guaranteed tomorrow. This Sunday isn’t just about hearing a Gospel passage and moving on with life as usual. It’s a challenge, plain and simple. A challenge to get off the bench and live like our faith matters. To stop delaying what we know we need to do.
Lent is coming! The Church gives us fasting to humble us, prayer to guide us, and an entire tradition steeped in the wisdom of saints who’ve walked this path before. This is our time to do something real with all that. Time to stop scrolling, stop procrastinating, stop making excuses. Because when Pascha comes, we’ll want more than just bright candles in hand—we’ll want hearts transformed by love.
Will we be sheep or goats? You already know the answer is up to us.
And when that day comes—when we’re face-to-face with the King—may we hear Him say with infinite love and grace:
“Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matthew 25:34).
Stop Self-Rejecting and Start Succeeding
Have you ever stopped before you even started? Maybe you…
