Last Will Be First

As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honor your father and mother.'” He said to him, “Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.” Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, “You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.
Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” And the disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” They were greatly astounded and said to one another, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.”
Peter began to say to him, “Look, we have left everything and followed you.” Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.” Mark 10:17-31 

Last Will Be First 

The one held captive and made a slave
returned again to love the people

the one feeding babies on Calcutta's alleys
will become our newest saint Theresa.

Patrick found God's love in pain's midst
saw the people aching to be remembered
he came to them when set free with open arms
and the world embraces still his honored name.

The people who stand in front and boast
taking the best seats and the finest foods
will never understand the joy of the caboose
nor the freedom of being love for love's sake.

The days thet seem like tortured waiting
are echoes of a future hope and rest
the tracks run behind and ahead of us today
we will surely venture on from this weary place.

Some come all you hobos and failures
you are beloved and needed by God
a place is being spread for you
and others wait with anticipation to see you.

Ride with us on the caboose
it is tight but warm enough for all
we are ready to give it all away
so we too can live for love.