For the past several Sundays, the gospel has been giving us the ways to prepare for Jesus Christ.
Remember the guest who was thrown out of the wedding? The virgins who prepared for the trip with oil in their lamps? The servants who invested their talents and the fearful servant who buried his talent?
In todays Gospel, the shepherd is separating the sheep from the goats.
Goats have a spirit of defiance, self-will, or independence from God’s involvement in their lives. Sheep have a gentle and yielding spirit.
Like the prepared wedding guests, the wise virgins and the faithful servants, we can prepare to recognize the Shepherd’s voice. His voice is found in the least of our brothers. We meet Jesus in the works of mercy we share with them.
This weekends liturgy is the Feast of Christ the King. The last Sunday of the liturgical calendar.
So sheep, wedding guests, virgins, servants, next week we will prepare for the Hope we seek in the birth of a baby.