His own person, shall ask Him, not so much with words as with affections and inward feelings of great admiration, saying, " Lord, when did we see Thee hungry, and fed Thee? thirsty, and gave Thee drink? Or when did we see Thee a stranger, and took Thee in? or naked, and covered Thee? Or when did we see Thee sick or in prison, and came to Thee?" Then our Lord will answer them, " Amen, I say to you, as long as you did it to one of these my least brethren you did it to me," for I was in them; and though but little ones, I yet glory to hold them for my brethren.
Colloquy. — O happy poor, that are accounted as His brethren by the Judge who shall judge them, and by the eternal King who shall reward them, who likewise rewardeth others for doing them good! O happy works of mercy, whose principal object is Christ, and whose reward is His kingdom! Oh, blessed are the merciful, seeing in this day they shall obtain so great mercy!
2. Lastly, I will consider that although Christ our Lord in the gospel alleges for the reason of His sentence only the works of mercy towards our neighbours, yet He will also declare the other good works of obedience and mortification necessary to enter into heaven. And as the voice of God is of infinite power, He will declare to every one interiorly, in such sort that all may understand the special works for which He gives him His kingdom. To the martyr He will say, " Come," " thou blessed of my Father, possess the kingdom prepared for" thee, "because Thou shedst Thy blood for me!" And to the virgin He will say, " Come, thou blessed of my Father, for the virginity which thou preservedst with purity of body and soul!" And to the religious man, " Come, thou blessed of my Father, for thou didst leave all things to follow me!" And in this manner I may run through the other states of the just. Oh, what content will all receive
