Today’s Gospel concludes with a thought-provoking sentence, ‘But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.’ It challenges us to reconsider what it truly means to succeed or be esteemed in the eyes of God versus the eyes of the world.

In our society and on social media, success is often equated with positions of power, wealth, and influence. We are encouraged to strive for achievements that elevate our status. However, Jesus offers a radical counter-narrative—a call to humility and service over self-promotion and gain. Jesus redefines greatness. True greatness, in our Catholic understanding, is not about personal accolades but about a willingness to serve, to sacrifice, and to love others.

This scripture passage invites us to examine our motives and ambitions. It asks us whether we are aligning our lives with temporal worldly values or with the eternal values of God’s Kingdom. It encourages us to embrace a life of humility, recognising that acts of service and love, though they may seem small or unnoticed, are profoundly valuable in the eyes of God.

How might this perspective shift the way we live out our daily calling, understanding that God’s measure of success is deeply rooted in love, humility, and service?

+ Dear Loving Father, we ask for your grace to embrace the upside-down, inside-out values of your Kingdom. Please give us eyes to see your way and a soft heart to follow you. We love you. Amen.

by Vanessa Comninos