This passage has been on my heart during Lent. It comes at the end of the parable of the sheep and the goats. The sheep are praised for taking care of the hungry, sick and imprisoned. The goats are being reprimanded for not taking care of the hungry, sick and imprisoned. The striking thing for me in this passage is that Jesus identifies himself with the least of these. Talk about a role reversal! The Messiah, Son of God, Anointed One finds himself in the population of the least.

But just who are those who we consider “the least?” We could come up with a list of the usual suspects: the unhoused, the addicts, those living in poverty. We might consider the least to be equated with those with low income or few material possessions. Or, our list may include those with less than perfect health: the disabled, the mentally ill, the chronically ill. But, what about those who are spiritually poor, the unlovable, the lonely? Or those without a voice in the public sphere? Or the populations of people who are discriminated against? Or the victims of hate and injustice? What about the prisoners? I would suggest that the list of the least may actually be longer than the list of the most. But, who are we to decide who is in which camp?

The beauty of the parable, for me, is that the sheep did not realize that they were taking care of the least. They were surprised to find themselves among the favored. And definitely surprised that Jesus felt that they were ministering to him. Perhaps, figuring out who is the least may not be the most fruitful path.

Here is an alternative for us. What if we looked at the people we encounter as all being worthy of our love and care? I believe we need to treat everyone as beloved children of God, every one of them worthy of God’s love and ours. It is a high bar: always to be looking out for those who hunger or thirst for physical, emotional or spiritual needs to be filled. The least of these may be found living on the streets, in a

nursing facility or residing in homes with nice landscaping and a pool in the back. Some days, we might number ourselves in the “least of these” category. Jesus challenges us to be a neighbor to all people, deserving or undeserving, rich or poor, looking like us or not looking like us. It is a risky business this call to follow him.

As we journey to Easter, I pray that all the people we encounter will receive from us grace and generosity of spirit.

May God’s blessing be on you!

Dean Kristi Mauldens may not be the most fruitful path