Those Who Are Last Will Be First – Your Weekly Refection from CMMB
Today’s Gospel reading is the third of three parables that deal with the theme of unexpected reversals brought by the Kingdom of God. The other two parables are about a tiny mustard seed and a small amount of yeast—both of which yield results far greater than their humble beginnings. All three are about the few and the many and the Kingdom of God.
As this week’s parable opens, Jesus is teaching on his way to Jerusalem. A person in the crowd asks a question: “Lord, will only a few people be saved?”
Jesus answers that once all those entering the master’s house are in and he locks the narrow door, there will be no way for others to get in. Those left outside may knock, but the master will say he doesn’t know them. They will be cast out to where there is wailing and grinding of teeth. The parable is a warning about who will truly be able to enter the Kingdom of God.
These four children pictured above were forced to flee from their homes last year due to flooding and violence in the area from armed groups. They live in tents in a camp outside of Nzara, South Sudan with other internally displaced people and struggle daily to find food and water. By many accounts, they might be seen as some of the “last” in this world. However, their love for one another, resilience and faith are truly gifts from our heavenly Father, who looks after them and has prepared a place for them in His house. To Him, they are first, not last—they are the tiny mustard seed that grows into a large tree, and the bit of yeast that makes a big batch of dough rise.
In our own lives, we may find it easy to become complacent with our relative comforts of life, and resist heeding the call to service for others. Though it is sometimes a hard parable to swallow, we know that for whom much is given, much is expected. Today, let’s pray with Pope Francis, who asked: “How can I become a little poorer, in order to be more like Jesus, who was the poor Teacher?”
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Today’s reflection is inspired by and adapted from the Loyola Press Sunday Connection.