Whom do I see in the person I encounter on the street? In the brother or sister who is in need? These are key questions posed by today’s Gospel parable of the sheep and the goats. For those who have read or heard this parable many times, the answer may seem obvious: I see Jesus, or at least I’m supposed to see Jesus. And this is true. Christ invites us, his listeners, to see his presence in those around us, particularly in the least ones.
Yet it’s worth noting that in the parable, neither the wicked nor even the righteous (!) realize that they had encountered the Lord through others. Both groups are shocked, asking, Lord, when did we see you? This shock is a helpful reminder to us who have heard the parable many times that to perceive the Lord Jesus in the least ones—in those who contrast most greatly with the conventional image of the glorious Son of Man—is ultimately a grace and a gift of faith.
Today, then, let us pray for this grace, the grace to perceive the hidden presence of Christ in the least ones. And perceiving, may we respond with reverence and with concrete action.