LAST JUDGMENT QUESTION -- WHY DID I NOT KNOW?

Can you just give me some insight as to the significance of being a sheep?

So far I understand this:

Jesus is a sacrificial lamb (therefore making him a sign of humility, meekness, and kindness)

Sheep always need to be led

Sheep are somewhat ignorant, but in a way that makes them humble/obedient

Sheep have a strong presence in scripture due to the cultural significance

Why a goat? Other parts of the bible use a wolf, but this passage uses a goat, is there significance to that?

Here in this passage, the sheep on the right of Jesus have obviously been saved because of their life 
actions (what seem very similar to the corporal works of mercy). However they deny knowing that they 
acted in this way, “Lord when did we see you hungry and feed you…”

The same goes for the ones on the left (the goats). The goats are being condemned (for their inactions) 
but they also are asking “Lord when did we see you hungry or thirsty…”

It seems that the sheep are ignorant of their good actions, and the same can be said for the goats 
(ignorant of their inaction), so why are the sheep good and the goats bad?

It is obvious that the sheep are good because of their behavior (practicing the corporal works of mercy, 
loving one another), but yet they do not know that they are doing good deeds.

We practice these behaviors today because Jesus has revealed them through his ongoing revelation, 
but we do these actions in his name, there is no denying that. I think I would find myself saying “yes, 
Lord, I clothed the naked because I Love You and I love my neighbor.” I would definitely not say “well 
when did I feed you, when did I clothe you?”

It just seems confusing to me because both the righteous and the evil are being judged for something 
they are ignorant of.

How can someone not know if they are doing something good?

I hope I am explaining myself…

Thank you for your question.  In reading your explanation a couple things
come to mind.

1. The question from the audience is a post resurrection universal gathering
of all the souls who ever existed.

2. They ask the question "When did we ever  see YOU...?  Jesus answers,
"Remember the street corner panhandler to whom you gave a bottle of water?"

3. Jesus knows that much of the good that we do, we do not go beyond the
wretch for whom we do it, but the Shepherd receives every good that we share whether we are conscious of His presence or not.

4. Jesus knows the good that the jungle dweller does and He receives it with
pleasure even though the jungle dweller has no idea.  But the jungle dweller
will be there at the fateful hour and he will discover that his desire and activity
for the benefit of the world around him was received by the creator in love.

5. There's a teaching in this chapter that is little known because the homilists
don't have time to bring it home.  It is not their fault.  The entire chapter is
not read at one crack during any liturgy.

Your question touches on precisely that lesson.  The story of the ten maidens
and the story of talents talk about people who should know better.  In the
first case, simple human nature, common sense precautions.  In the case of 
the talents, knowledge of the BOSS and his attitude towards the help is ignored 
at the servant's peril.  
In the final wrap-up, everyone is there and so the language indicates.

6. When we do Acts of Mercy we never see Christ except in faith - Post
resurrection faith which is the grace that clarifies the Bible story for us +
2,000 years of grace-filled growth of understanding.

Despite that, I can tell you that we do corporal acts of mercy at moments
that we don't know about.  Now that you are in the public eye, I can assure
you that you do not know 100% of the good that you do in your daily life.

It happened to me last night, again.  A man that I don't know approached me as though I am a saint.  I don't know him from a bar of soap!  But He knows
Jesus Christ through me!  He told me so.  We talked for about 15 solid minutes
about some heavy duty stuff because He sees Christ in me.

T..., get ready for it.  When we work directly in the Church, we have to
 be ready to accept the fact that God's people see Him through us.  

In your meditations to those preparing for Confirmation, please tell them that
they have to live in such a way that others will see Christ through them.
Their life is going to be the sermon that they preach to the world.  Yes, all
of them just as all of us, will do good without seeing Christ in the recipient
of their actions, but Christ will accept it anyway.

Confirmation is a great blessing for us.  We, the teachers, get to talk to them,
the disciples, directly, not to their parents.  We somehow have to reach them
in the depths of their beings and hope that they will accept the fire of the
Pentecost and carry it forward to the coming of the JUDGE.

Bottom line, Stay ready, live clean or fry.

DON'T CRY BEFORE MY FUNERAL - DON'T CRY AT MY FUNERAL - DON'T CRY AFTER MY FUNERAL

St. Paul to the Philippians &
I to you...


Brothers and sisters:
Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. 
For to me life is Christ, and death is gain. 
If I go on living in the flesh,
that means fruitful labor for me. 
And I do not know which I shall choose. 
I am caught between the two. 
I long to depart this life and be with Christ,
for that is far better. 
Yet that I remain in the flesh
is more necessary for your benefit.


This quote is from the Scripture that was read this morning 

at Catholic Masses around the world.  It was read just in 

front of the story of the workers who were called to the 

vineyard at different times but all got paid the same.

I am willing to gamble big fake $ that not one single

priest in the world dared to preach about the passage 

above.  So I am doing it.

As you all know, everyone wants to go to heaven, but no one is willing to die.  We all know that we are going there, but not too many of us are really looking forward to passing away to get there.  When I heard the thoughts that Paul threw at us many years ago, he was ready.  What I like about him is that he was really at home with himself.  It takes a very strong individual to be able to safely say that "I am caught between the two [life and death] and that death is far better than life here on earth.  You really have to have it together to be comfortable with that sentiment.  
I confess that I am there.  I have no problem with that part of the thought.  I deal with that every day.

The thought that "it is more necessary for your benefit that I remain in the flesh" is where I wonder about saying that to anyone.  That is the part where I know that only about 50% of those who know me would agree.  The other 50% would wish that I would not be so full of myself and just move on.  Imagine having the self image that Paul had and the security of his relationship with God to be able to say that.  I believe that God keeps me here because He has something for me to do.  I tell Him that all the time.  I imagine that He thinks that I am doing a good job and that he is pleased with me, but I keep that kind of talk between me and Him.  Except right here and for this moment alone.  

I'm sitting here at 1:00 AM and thinking that God wants us to have the kind of personal strength that Paul had.  God needs us to have that kind of courage.  He wants us to have a good strong side by side relationship with Him so that we can do the work that He expects us to do.  He wants us to be able to admit that we are valuable to Him.  he wants us to be able to stand before the world and to admit that we are good at doing His work.  He looks forward to our saying, "God keeps me here because it is for your benefit that He keeps me here."  If Saint Paul can say that, why can't we?  Are we going to think that he was arrogant in proclaiming that truth?  Is that what keeps us from saying the same thing, although we might be thinking it from time to time.  

You know why Paul could talk that way?  It's because he knew that his faith in God was so strong that it was not he speaking, but God through him.  Paul knew that as long as he stayed with God, he could walk on water, move mountains and make the lame walk and make the Greeks and the rest of the world accept the God whom Paul was announcing and serving.

Well,my name is Paul.  My father named me Paul because he was a serious disciple of Paul.  I am telling you that I am ready to die.  I am also telling you that I believe that as long as I stay here it is for your benefit because that's how God wants it.  Therefore, neither you nor anyone else has absolutely any reason to be crying at my funeral.