This pivotal gospel reading is situated strategically the day before Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. It seems to prepare us for the mindset we need to cultivate as we walk with Jesus toward the Cross. This reading follows the story of the rich man who sought to follow Jesus but went away sad because he had many possessions and wasn’t willing to sell all he had to follow Jesus. At this, Jesus turned to his disciples commenting how hard it would be for a wealthy person to enter the Kingdom of God. You can just hear the disciples gasp. Jesus reassures them - “but nothing is impossible with God.”

The disciples are shaken up- they murmur among themselves wondering who among them will be first in the Kingdom of God. Peter then says to Jesus in what sounds to me like a very self-justifying way “We have given up everything and followed you.” You can just hear his emphasis on the word “We”. Implied is they will certainly enter the Kingdom…..won’t we? Not quite sure. Wanting reassurance.

Jesus gives his answer: he typically expands on what they have said and throws in a surprise at the end, and a puzzle: ”Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands  for my sake and for the sake of the gospel who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age: houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come. But many that are first will be last, and (the) last will be first.”

A promise and a puzzle. Jesus sure knows how to help us think! I don’t know why he included everything but fathers in his promise. I do understand why he included persecutions. But the first shall be last? The last, first? First and last in what way? The temptations is to jump to wealth, status, power in the “First” category…..but further thought reveals no, this is only what our society seems to value now. What about wisdom, what about kindness, what about humility? I’m sure you can name many “things of value" that aren’t “things.”

So my exercise for this Lent is to pick a no-thing of value to cultivate each week. Forty no-things, gifts to those around me and to this hurting world. And I will try to put some action words in there, too. Faith being a verb, perhaps as simple as a smile to a person passing, an offer to grocery shop for an ill neighbor, a rosary every day for those I cannot physically help. I would love to hear your list. I know you will help me by sharing it. Blessed Lent.