Last Will Be First

As he 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; Honour 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

We are surrounded by news about the immigration "crisis". I find it particularly odd that we call it a crisis now, when for generations, we have quoted the words on the statue of liberty. "Give me your tired, your poor..." At the same time, we Americans revel in ancestry and love finding out that our immigrant families were so brave. Sometimes even the church has had confusing talk of welcome when people's actions demonstrated their fear. Jesus reminds us the last will be first. If we want to follow Jesus, we might seek out those who are last, on the margins, close to starving and those with no home to rest their head.

Blessed Creator, source of all treasures

you set us on a verdant land full of wonder

you have provided vast spaces and seasons

so we might see know you in your beautiful creations.

Despite all the blessings we hoard your gifts

we exclude and shame those who would share

only a small portion of all you have given us

wishing only to have a place to rest their heads.

Help us to see the last in line this day

make us your people who reach out in love

let us share a small portion of our blessings

so that the least might lead us to your home. Amen.