The Least of These, My Brethren – A Father Andrew Homily
Matthew 25:40
The following homily was delivered at the Parish Life Conference in Memphis, Tennessee around June 2000. The theme of that conference was a statement made by our Lord Jesus to His disciples in a private conversation on the Mount of Olives (Matthew 25:31-46). He tells them what He will say at the last judgment to those who will inherit the kingdom…the kingdom prepared for them by the Father: “Assuredly, inasmuch as you did to one of the least of these, My brethren, you did it to Me.” (vs.40).
I suppose most of you here today have heard that heart-warming little story of a man traveling along a rather steep path in the mountains when he came upon a young boy. As he approached the boy who was also making his way upward along the trail, he was quite surprised to see another lad on the boy’s back. “Here, let me help you, young man”, he said. “You’re carrying a very big load; I don’t think you can make it.” The boy replied kindly, “Thank you sir, but I’ll make it; you see, he ain’t heavy; he’s my brother”.
Surely, we as Christians have a God-given charge to help those in need wherever and whenever we can. However, there is a very holy calling and special blessing for members of the family of God to help each other.
Regrettably, it seems that too often we look “out there” or “far away” in search of those who need our aid, while overlooking or even neglecting those in our midst – our brethren in Christ.
St. Paul writing to the Church in Galatia (6:10) said, “Do good to all, especially to those of the household of faith.” And to the Romans (12:10,13), “Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love …. distributing to the needs of the saints.”
St. James (2:15,16), to those Christians scattered about because of persecution wrote, “If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food …. but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit (your faith)?
St. Paul reminded the Christians in Corinth (1 Corinthians 12:24, 25), “God composed the body …. that the members should have the same care for one another,”
Our Lord Jesus, again speaking to His disciples (Mark 9:41), “-whoever gives you a cup of cold water in My name, because you belong to Christ … will by no means lose his reward.”
St. John Chrysostom taught, “Baptism renders a man a brother and the partaking of the divine mysteries.”
We help each other because we belong to Christ, because we are members of His body, brothers and sisters in the family of God. “Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me,”
Jesus did not just say brethren, but the least of the brethren. Who are the least of His brethren? In a word the “least of the brethren” should refer to all of us! Again, from St. John Chrysostom’s homily on this passage, “They are Thy brethren; and how dost Thy call them least? Why, for this reason they are brethren, because they are lowly, because they are poor, because they are outcast. For such does He most invite to brotherhood, the unknown, the contemptible, not meaning by these the monks only, and them that have occupied the mountains, but every believer; … if he is hungry, and famishing, and naked and a stranger, God’s will is he should have the benefit of all this care.”
Certainly, the needs of our brethren extend beyond the physical and material; the needs are not always met with food, drink, or clothing, but with “righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17).
Many, many cards filled with love, prayers, and encouragement are being sent monthly to thirty-seven brothers and sisters in Christ in our region who are ill, confined, in the waning years of their lives. “Inasmuch as you did to the least of these my brethren…”
This seems to be the teaching of Christ in the opening words of the Sermon on the Mount. The beatitudes may be summarized as, “Blessed are the least of these:
-The poor in spirit
-Those who mourn
-The meek
-Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness
-The merciful
-The pure in heart
-The peacemakers
-The persecuted for righteousness’ sake” (Matthew 5: 3-10).
Our Lord set such an example for us in His own holy Incarnation, “Though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you, through His poverty, might become rich.” (II Corinthians 8:9)
We should and do help each other, those who faithfully serve God in His Church, clergy, and laity alike, those who choose to be least, those who sacrifice themselves so that others may abound.
A blessed example of such an heir of the kingdom is Onesiphorous. In St. Paul’s final letter, only a short time before his death, he was reflecting on those who had helped him in his service to Christ, “The Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorous, for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain; but when he arrived in Rome, he sought me out very zealously and he found me. The Lord grant to him that he may find mercy from the Lord in that Day—and you know very well how many ways he ministered to me at Ephesus.” (2 Timothy 1:16-18)
We honor our bishop — not because he is the highest, but because he is the least. We seek his blessing not from his exaltation but from his humility.
We respect our priest — not because he is a lord over us — but because he is our servant.
We, as Christians, embrace one another, forgive one another, love one another, pray for one another, honor one another, submit to one another, commit ourselves and each other to Christ our God, not because they are wealthy, famous, or powerful in this world but because we are brothers and sisters in Christ. And you know, it’s not that hard!
On the last day of this age when we all stand before Christ, and should hear Him say, “Come you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom … for inasmuch as you did it to the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.” (Matthew 25:34, 40).
May we also say in return, “Thank you, Lord — but he wasn’t heavy, he was my brother”.
Fr. Andrew
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