These words are part of the last sermon that Jesus preached before he died. They come in Matthew's Gospel at the end of the section on the teachings of Jesus. The very next event will be Jesus' passion and death.
These words could not be situated in a more important place. They are powerful and clear. No big words in there. Nothing obscure. Straight and true.
Whatever you did for the least brothers of mine, you did for me.
If people took these words seriously, there would be no war. If people took these words seriously, no one would be shunned who is a different color, or of a different intellectual class, or poor. What makes Jesus' words so difficult is that he didn't make any exceptions. He didn't say "deserving" poor, he said all poor.
Do you take this seriously?
His words, in a sense, sum up his whole life and death and teaching. You could say that the whole Gospel is written on your five fingers: You-did-it-for-me.
That's the key there. What you do or don't do, you do or don't do to Jesus.
- Little Burgundy Book, Diocese of Saginaw