Gospel for the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe
November 22, 2026 · Matthew 25:31-46
You did it for me
It is the last Sunday of the Church year. Jesus, King of the Universe, says that what we do for the least of our brothers and sisters, we do for him. Matthew 25:31-46
Liturgical color: white
This Sunday’s Gospel, in everyday words
Jesus spoke of the day when the Son of Man will come in his glory with all his angels. Matthew 25:31
Then he will sit upon his glorious throne. Matthew 25:31
All the nations will be gathered before him. He will separate them from one another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. Matthew 25:32-33
The king will tell those on his right to come and inherit the Kingdom prepared for them. Matthew 25:34
He will tell them that he was hungry and they gave him food; he was thirsty and they gave him drink. Matthew 25:35
That he was a stranger and they welcomed him, he had no clothes and they clothed him. That he was sick and in prison, and they visited him. Matthew 25:35-36
The righteous will ask him when they saw him like that and helped him. Matthew 25:37-39
The king will answer that whatever they did for the least of his brothers, they did for him. Matthew 25:40
He will tell those on his left to depart from him, because they did not help him when he was in need. Matthew 25:41-43
They too will ask when. The king will answer that whatever they did not do for the least ones, they did not do for him. Matthew 25:44-45
Jesus ended by saying that these will go off to eternal punishment, and the righteous to eternal life. Matthew 25:46
What the Bible says
Matthew 25:31-46
31And when the Son of man shall come in his majesty, and all the angels with him, then shall he sit upon the seat of his majesty. 32And all nations shall be gathered together before him, and he shall separate them one from another, as the shepherd separateth the sheep from the goats: 33And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on his left. 34Then shall the king say to them that shall be on his right hand: Come, ye blessed of my Father, possess you the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35For I was hungry, and you gave me to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me to drink; I was a stranger, and you took me in: 36Naked, and you covered me: sick, and you visited me: I was in prison, and you came to me. 37Then shall the just answer him, saying: Lord, when did we see thee hungry, and fed thee; thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38And when did we see thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and covered thee? 39Or when did we see thee sick or in prison, and came to thee? 40And the king answering, shall say to them: Amen I say to you, as long as you did it to one of these my least brethren, you did it to me. 41Then he shall say to them also that shall be on his left hand: Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry, and you gave me not to eat: I was thirsty, and you gave me not to drink. 43I was a stranger, and you took me not in: naked, and you covered me not: sick and in prison, and you did not visit me. 44Then they also shall answer him, saying: Lord, when did we see thee hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to thee? 45Then he shall answer them, saying: Amen I say to you, as long as you did it not to one of these least, neither did you do it to me. 46And these shall go into everlasting punishment: but the just, into life everlasting.
Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner revision), public domain.
The other readings at Mass
First Reading
God himself will be the shepherd of his people. He will look for the lost sheep and heal the injured one. Ezekiel 34:11-12, 15-17
Responsorial Psalm
The Lord is my shepherd; I lack nothing. He leads me to restful waters and spreads a table before me. Psalm 23:1-6
Second Reading
Christ has been raised, the first of all. In the end he will defeat death, and God will be all in all. 1 Corinthians 15:20-26, 28
The full readings for this day, from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops: bible.usccb.org
What the Church teaches
The feast of Christ the King
Pope Pius XI established it in 1925, at the end of a Holy Year. Today it is celebrated on the last Sunday of the Church year.
Pius XI, encyclical Quas primas, December 11, 1925 (vatican.va)
A King who serves
Christ, King and Lord of the universe, made himself the servant of all. He came not to be served, but to serve.
Catechism 786
Jesus and the poor
Jesus Christ will recognize his own by what they have done for the poor. He asks us to love them as we love him.
Catechism 2443 and 1825
The color white
On feasts of the Lord that are not about his Passion, the priest wears white.
General Instruction of the Roman Missal 346
To read with your children
Jesus talked about a King sitting on his throne. Matthew 25:31, 34
The King invited into his Kingdom the people who helped others. Matthew 25:34-36
Giving food to someone who is hungry is helping Jesus. Matthew 25:35
Visiting someone who is sick is helping Jesus too. Matthew 25:36
What we do for the littlest ones, we do for Jesus. Matthew 25:40
Who can you help this week?
To talk about as a family
- Where can we find Jesus in the people we see every day?
- Of the six works Jesus names, which one can we do together this month?
- For the child: if Jesus came to your house today, what would you do for him?
This week
This week, do together one of the works Jesus names. You could bring food, give away clothes, or visit someone who is sick.
To pray
Lord Jesus, King of the Universe, you hide yourself in the least of our brothers and sisters. Open our eyes to see you in them and to serve you with joy. Amen.