Being Open to the Needs of God's People

Gospel of the Day: Lk 13:22-30


This is the final line from today's Gospel. "For behold, some are last who will be first,and some are first who will be last.” This is an important line to think about and to carry with us always. The whole Gospel passage comes down to having a relationship with Christ and serving him as He has called us.
Today here at Mundelein, the academic department informed me that I would not be able to do an independant study. They gave some superficial reasons, but the truth is something different. The class was to be in the area of practicing and becoming comortable with leading the sacraments in spanish, plus becoming more familiar with the hispanic cultural expressions of faith. They said no without thinking. Of course, me being the one in charge of my own formation, I am appealing their decision and where it will go, we will see.
Within this experience, I find that last line of the Gospel, the first will be last and the last will be first. I will do what I need to do to make sure that I will be able to serve the people I am called to serve as fluently as possible. Who are to be first in my ministry, the people of God and their needs. Who will be last? Those that see no need for anything, those that do not want to come into relationship with Christ. Those that have it all figured out, those that do not care what happens or what you need. Now, we still reach out to them and offer our own example and the example of the Church, but they have to make the act of faith. They have to move into the relationship. Christ is ready and willing to have a relationship. It is these people especially that I pray for and hope they see before it is to late and Christ says, "I do not know where you are from." Rev. Mr. Arthur Nave Jr.