Let Us Not Neglect Christ - Sermon for the Sunday of the Last Judgment (2025)

“It is appointed unto men to die once, and after death comes the judgment,” says St. Paul. When we remember death, we must remember that death is a doorway into a face-to-face encounter with the Living God in the Person of Jesus Christ. 

If we always remembered our death we would always remember our judgment by Christ. If we always remembered our judgement by Christ we would always remember Christ Himself. If we always remembered Christ we would always walk before Him in reverence, purity, love, and sobriety. In a word: remember the day of your death and you will live here and now in the abundance of Christ-imbued life. The wise Sirach sums all of this up: “In all that you do, remember your end and you will not sin.”

After His Resurrection Christ unveiled the understanding of His Apostles, revealing to them everything written about Him in the Old Testament. Christ is the key to the Old Testament. Christ is hidden in every page. All the more so then with the New Testament, not just the written books thereof, but its living reality—the Church the Body of Christ, the indwelling Spirit of Christ, the Holy Mysteries of Christ, especially the Most Pure Body and Blood of Christ of which we are about to partake, that which He Himself calls the New Testament.

In today’s parable Christ explains that hidden within every human being—even the most wretched, insignificant, and lowly—He Himself is hidden. The way we interact with and treat every person is transferred to Christ. The Apostle Paul explains, “Christ is all and in all.” If we constantly remembered Christ we would not sin. If we always had Him before our eyes we would live in Him ever more and more.

When the thought of death and the Last Judgment strike your mind and penetrate your heart, be sure to come back to yourself and thank God that you are still alive and have the ability to grow into Christ. Seize the opportunity of being able to change before you are rendered incorruptibly sealed for all eternity by the Resurrection when Christ comes again.

There’s my brother unable to complete a task—go help Christ. There’s my fellow man downcast and depressed—go visit and nurture Christ. There’s someone buried in evil—go unbury Christ by a firm but comforting word. There’s someone who is angry—release the imprisoned Christ by becoming gentle as a lamb, healing the one who imprisons Him. There’s someone I’m lusting after—beg Christ to see the soul of that person.

A task is set before me, simple and small—don’t neglect it, don’t do it to please others or yourself—fulfill it for Christ, do it for Christ, serve Christ. A plate needs washing—wash it so Christ doesn’t have to. A coffee mug needs scrubbing—clean it so Christ can rest. Something’s out of order—simply put it back without making a fuss before others for the glory of Christ the Word Who orders the whole world in humble silence.

Let us also not neglect Christ Who is hidden within our hearts. A seemingly harmless distraction arises—don’t forget that Christ is King of desires. An opportunity to overindulge the flesh arises—don’t bury Christ by food, drink, gossiping words, or entertainment. It is time for church or our prayer rule—go resurrect your memory of and fervor for Christ. 

Let us also not neglect Christ when we sin. Have you fallen—don’t murder by despair the soul purchased from spiritual death by the agony and death of Christ. Has someone else fallen—don’t trample Christ by slander, harsh judgment, gossip, critique, or untimely or evil words. Have the sins of wicked peoples, criminals, leaders, and politicians just been published across the world through technology in the blink of an eye—don’t thrust another nail into Christ by heaping up insults instead of mercifully praying for the salvation of the world.

Let us walk before Christ. Let us stand before Christ. Let us live as if doing all for and to Christ. Let us breathe in the air as a refreshing gift from Christ. Let us sigh for our sins to Christ. Let us break our hearts in contrition before Christ. Let us seek to repent to gladden Christ and His angels and all heaven. We cannot do this without constantly calling out to Christ, ruminating on His name, and awakening our hearts by prayer.

If we do this, we will enter the reality of the Last Judgment even now. As St. Symeon the New Theologian explains: for those who dwell in the light of Christ even now there will be no Judgment, for they already live in the truth which will be fully unveiled on That Day.

If our hearts are hardened by insensibility, let us remember the vivid description of tormenting flames, gnawing worms, and dark despair. But if we are inclined to despair, let us remember the gladsome light which radiates from the presence and face of the Most-Merciful Christ. Some of the Fathers give one type of medicine. Others give another. Some counsel us to meditate on the wrath and punishment of God. Others on the shame which will be experienced when we behold the glory of the exceedingly sweet face of the meek Christ piercing our souls with His care-filled glance.

Let us take the necessary medicines at the right time to treat whatever is afflicting us. Let us sometimes remember death, judgment, the dread eternal sentence, and the unending torments. Let us sometimes be grateful for the gifts of this present life. Let us sometimes contemplate the unspeakable joy and gifts of the eternal Kingdom wherein sorrow, affliction, tears, and pain are wiped away. Let us sometimes gaze at the beautiful sky and nature of even this fallen world. Let us take from Scripture a good thought to chew on all day. Let us at other times take from nature a wise pondering to fetter our thoughts and chain them to the Creator of nature. Let us, when grace grants it, draw from our experience of Christ’s grace in our own life a steadfast hope of what He desires to give us in the future.

The concluding words of Christ in the book of Revelation are: “Surely I am coming quickly!” Christ is on His way. Let us respond with the next words, “Even so, come Lord Jesus!” If we accustom ourselves to this meditation, we will be graced with a constant habit of mind which can see nothing else. And this contemplation will be our guardian and guide leading us unto the full manifestation of the reality we have been awaiting—the unveiled vision of and the being fully consumed by the glory of God in the Person of Jesus Christ, our Lord, Creator, God, Mediator, Savior, Judge, Reward, Life, and Joy. To Him together with His All-Loving Father and the All-Holy Spirit be glory, honor, worship, and love unto the ages. Amen.