A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.

Jesus said to the disciples, “At the appointed time, the Promised One will come in glory, escorted by all the angels of heaven, and will sit upon the royal throne, with all the nations assembled below.  Then the Promised One will separate them from one another, as a shepherd separates sheep from goats.  The sheep will be placed on the right hand, the goats on the left.  The ruler will say to those on the right: ‘Come, you blessed of God! Inherit the kindom prepared for you from the creation of the world!  For I was hungry and you fed me; I was thirsty and you gave me drink.  I was a stranger and you welcomed me; naked and you clothed me.  I was ill and you comforted me; in prison and you came to visit me.’  Then these just will ask, ‘When did we see you hungry and feed you, or see you thirsty and give you drink?  When did we see you as a stranger and invite you in, or clothe you in your nakedness?  When did we see you ill or in prison and come to visit you?’  The ruler will answer them, ‘I assure you, every

time you did it for the least of my sisters or brothers, you did it for me.’

“Then the ruler will say to those on the left, ‘Out of my sight, you accursed ones!  Into that everlasting fire prepared for the devil and the fallen angels!  I was hungry and you gave me no food; I was thirsty and you gave me no drink.  I was a stranger and you gave me no welcome;

naked and you gave me no clothing.  I was ill and in prison and you did not come to comfort me.’  Then they in turn will ask, ‘When did we see you hungry or thirsty or away from home or naked, or ill or in prison and did not take care of you?’  The answer will come, ‘I assure you, as often as you neglected to do it to one of the least of these, you neglected to do it to me.’  These will go off to eternal punishment, and the just to eternal life.”

The Good News as spoken through Matthew.