“‘For I was hungry and you gave me food,

I was thirsty and you gave me drink,

a stranger and you welcomed me,

naked and you clothed me,

ill and you cared for me,

in prison and you visited me.’

Then the righteous will answer him and say,

‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you,

or thirsty and give you drink?

When did we see you a stranger and welcome you,

or naked and clothe you?

When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’

And the king will say to them in reply,

‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did

for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for me.’”

After centuries of breeding, most sheep and goats aren’t that hard to tell apart. Even now, though, some sheep can be various colors, have horns, and grow a short coat that sheds. Likewise, some goats can be white, have no horns, and grow coats that are full and fluffy and need to be sheared. They are useful animals. Both can be grown for food, provide milk to drink or for cheese, be sheared for fibers (wool from sheep and cashmere and mohair from goats), and clear unwanted vegetation (technically, sheep are grazers, preferring low growing grasses and other plants, and goats are browsers, preferring plants that are higher off the ground or, as I understand it, car bumpers, fence posts, tin cans, or whatever they can get their teeth on). They both carry on in herds, although sheep have a greater herd instinct and can get quite distressed at being separated from the flock, while goats are much more independent and adventurous. At first glance, without some knowledge, it could be possible to mistake sheep and goats based solely on their looks. 

They are the same, but different and the king in today’s gospel separates them on his right and his left. For the purposes of the parable, their similarity could cause the king, or anyone else, to mistake the sheep and the goats. By outward appearances, they are not that different. Maybe, both groups have good jobs, respectable homes, solid families, adequate education, fun vacations, and reliable transportation. When there’s not a pandemic, maybe they also go to church weekly, with some regularity, or at least occasionally. They may pray before meals, abstain from meat on Fridays during Lent, light the candles of their home Advent wreath each week, and hang a crucifix in their bedrooms. It’s possible that they give to worthy causes, study about their faith, go to confession once or twice a year, and enjoy camaraderie with other families, friends, and church groups. A few of them may have even been ordained. The two groups are pretty hard to tell apart by looking at them. 

The difference in today’s parable between the sheep and the goats boils down to one thing: what they did and didn’t do for the king, hidden within and united to those most in need. Specifically, it’s the hungry, thirsty, far from home, naked, sick, and imprisoned—the least of these. Do the sheep and goats live within a limited horizon based on themselves or within a wider horizon based on the needs of others? In fact, in serving those in need, it almost seems like the righteous sheep have forgotten about themselves altogether. They live for others naturally. The Church calls this a preferential option for the poor. Our Lord Jesus Christ, the King of the Universe, calls us to love our neighbor. If we desire to serve our king, we now know where to find him. He is found in the face of the poor.