Isaiah 55:6-9 / Philippians 1:20-24, 27 / Matthew 20:1-16
Whenever there is a presentation that has a few points, we will often hear this when it comes to the last point: “And last but not least …”.
That is to emphasize that the last point is just as important as the first point and just as important as the preceding points.
So, we generally understand what is “last but not least”. It is a sort of a figure of speech to emphasize the equal importance of the last point to the other preceeding points.
Most of the time it is applicable to presentations as a figure of speech.
However, in the reality of life, things may be quite different.
In this world, we are categorized by our financial and economic worth, we are graded by our abilities and capabilities, we are classified by our intelligence and academic qualifications.
And that would obviously mean that first is first, and last is last, and in between there would be a huge gap that also makes a big difference.
We know what it means to be first. There will be medals and trophies, offers and benefits, attention and the limelight, applause and cheers. Being first is certainly a good feeling.
And if the winner takes it all, then the loser will have to stand small. And if the loser is the last, then there might be nowhere to stand at all.
As we listen to the gospel, there are many things that the gospel is teaching us.
Essentially the gospel is teaching us the ways of God, which often is so different from the ways of the world.
As the 1st reading reminds us, and it is the Lord who speaks: Yes, the heavens are as high above the earth, as My ways are above your ways and My thoughts above your thoughts.
That would also make us think about the last line of the gospel when Jesus said: The last will be first, and the first, last.
More than just some kind of reversal of fortunes, it shows who God is and how He looks at the last, the lost, the lowly and the losers.
The last, the lost, the lowly and the losers often find themselves at the bottom of the barrel and they are often rejected and devalued.
The world may not look at them or listen to them, but God listens to them.
Because for the last, the lost, the lowly and losers, they have no one to turn to but God alone.
And God is close to all who call on Him.
The gospel teaches us the ways of God and the thoughts of God. The last, the lost, the lowly and the losers also have something to teach us.
Let us look at them and listen to them and learn from them.
Because they might just be the ones that God has sent to teach us His ways.