The Prince and The Pauper by Mark Twain is the story of two boys who lived three hundred years ago in England. Not only were they good friends, they looked so much the same that they could be taken for identical twins. One of the boys was EDWARD, the prince of WALES; the other was TOM CANTY, a pauper, a poor boy.
One day, for some fun, they decided to change places. They changed clothes; Edward put on the rags of a poor boy and wandered through the slums of London, rubbing elbows with beggars and the poor. THOMAS was playing the Prince.
After a time both of them were tired of their game. So, EDWARD, who looked like beggar, tried to tell the police that he was the prince. He was thrown into jail. Somehow, as TOM was about to be crowned king, EDWARD showed up and both of them convinced the officials that Edward was the true prince. As history teaches, and this might be through Edward’s experience, he became a kind and just ruler.
Something like that is the situation between CHRIST and each one of us. Christ is the prince, the true Son of God. In a way Christ has switched places with us who are poor. He clothed himself in our poor flesh. Then Christ made each one of us a prince by clothing us in the robes of His grace, even sharing His own divine life with us.
As God, Jesus knew the sufferings of human beings. By becoming man He actually suffered what men, women, and children have to endure. Like the prince in our story, Jesus learned to love those who are in need of any kind. No wonder Christ, our King, lays down this test for entering His eternal home. He asks each and every one of us: Did you help the needy or did you not?
Today’s Gospel is one of the most important in the teaching of Christ – Good News for those who help the needy, bad News for those who pay little or no attention to the needs of other human beings.
Jesus tells us: Test yourself today. Have you ever fed a hungry person? Perhaps you never met a really hungry child or grown-up. When was the last time you visited someone who was sick? When did you visit someone in prison? And this does not mean only those behind iron bars. It means people behind the bars of being alone, ignorance, and grief. What have you done for those who are spiritually starving, spiritually sick, spiritually strangers, or spiritually imprisoned?
If you have done little or nothing, then you might hear from Jesus: “Go away.†The Gospel goes even further, what you do for these needy you are doing for Christ himself; because Jesus said “I was hungry, thirsty, sick, a stranger.†Christ makes Himself one with those in need.
My brothers and sisters in Christ. Our King is hungry; our King is thirsty; our King is a stranger; our King is sick; our King is in prison. Yes, we serve and worship Christ our King on this altar, but we must also serve and worship Him in His need. Then He will tell us at the end: “Come to me; inherit the Kingdom prepared for you.â€