And Many Who Are Last, Shall be First! Pondering the Great Reversal

One of the strong traditions of Scripture is of the great reversal that will one day come for many. I have often been sobered by it when I consider how blessed I have been in this life. I have also been consoled by it when I struggle to understand why some people in this world seem to suffer so much more that I do, or others do. Life seems a very uneven proposition if we only look at this side of the equation. Only God sees the whole picture but to some extent he has revealed that those who have suffered much in this life will be more than rewarded in the life to come and that there will be a great reversal.

The theme of the great reversal is most fully developed in the New Testament where the understanding of the life to come is also most developed.

Consider the following texts:

  1. [Jesus said], “But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.” (Matt 19:30 & also Matt 20:16 & also Mark 10:31)
  2. [Mary said], “He has cast down the mighty from their thrones but lifted up the lowly. The hungry he has filled with good things; but the rich he has sent away empty.” (Lk 1:52-53)
  3. Abraham replied [to the rich man], ‘My child, remember that you received what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented. (Luke 16:25)
  4. Blessed are you who are now hungry, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who are now weeping, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and insult you, and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice and leap for joy on that day! Behold, your reward will be great in heaven. For their ancestors treated the prophets in the same way. But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. But woe to you who are filled now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will grieve and weep. Woe to you when all speak well of you, for their ancestors treated the false prophets in this way. (Luke 6:21-26)
  5. Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more. (Luke 12:48)
  6. I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed for us. (Rom 8:18)
  7. For this momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to what is seen but to what is unseen; for what is seen is transitory, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Cor 4:17-18)

There are other texts, and I am grateful if you will add to this list. But, for now, let these suffice. As I have said, I am both challenged and consoled by these texts.

I am consoled for I, like others, have suffered in this life and experienced set backs. In regards to this, the Lord promises that sufferings and set backs, if endured with faith, produce ultimate profit, not loss. Much of this profit may wait till heaven, but surely sufferings endured with faith are like treasure stored up in heaven. First the cross, but then the crown. Hallelujah.

I am also consoled on account of others. I, like you, know people who have suffered far more than seems fair. Loss after loss mounts up, grief after grief. My humanity recoils and I often cry to God on behalf of others who seem to suffer so much more than others. Lost health, lost jobs, lost home and family members. Why, O Lord?!

I think of my poor sister who was mentally ill and horribly afflicted by demons and voices who spoke to her, haunted her and robbed her increasingly of any touch with reality. Ultimately her life ended tragically when she died in a fire. She was surely among the last. But she loved God and wanted desperately to get well. The day after she died I offered Mass for her and I heard her speak to me in the depth of my heart and she said “I’m OK now, Charlie.” And somehow I knew that God was taking care of her, purifying and clearing her mind. And I also knew that she who was among the last but believed, I would one day see as among the first in the glory of heaven (pray God I get there). I suspect that she will be closest to the throne and that I, who have been among the first here in this world will have a “mansion” far less spacious than hers.

I am consoled for my sister’s sake and also for those who, unlike me, live in great poverty in other parts of the world. The bounty of American living is but a dream to them. Perhaps there is war. Perhaps there is famine or natural disaster. Perhaps they are victims of despotic and corrupt governments. They are less free, less blessed, in greater stress and often in desperate need. They are among the “last” in this world. But, if they have faith, they will be blessed to be among the first in the great reversal that is coming when the Kingdom fully breaks in. Faith IS essential. Jesus did not say all the last shall be first but that many who are last shall be first. I am sure that it is living faith that makes the difference.

But I am also challenged. I am among those who are first. What does this say for me in the great reversal that is coming upon this world? I have good health, I enjoy bountiful blessings. I am more blessed that I deserve. I live in the greatest, richest, and most powerful country in the world. My needs are largely provided for. I am here in my air-conditioned room with time enough to write and ponder things far beyond mere subsistence. I am surely among the first, the rich. Even the poorest in this country are blessed compared to many others in the world. Where shall I be when the first trumpet sounds, when the great reversal sets in?

Not everything is as it appears. We crave wealth, power and access and call it a blessing. We want to be first. But God warns it may well be a curse: Those who want to be rich are falling into temptation and into a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all evils, and some people in their desire for it have strayed from the faith and have pierced themselves with many pains. (1 Tim 6:9-10). Knowing this and other texts like it, we still want to be rich, on top, first. We are very obtuse.

And so, I must say I am challenged. I am not defeated however or fatalistic. God has not utterly forsaken the “first.” He has left us a way and given us instruction on how to avoid the “curse” of our wealth and good fortune. Simply put, that we should use our status as “first” to bless others. That our many gifts would be placed at the service of the human family. A few texts come to mind:

  1. [Jesus said], “I tell you, make friends for yourselves with deceitful wealth, so that when it fails, they [likely the poor whom we befriended] will welcome you into eternal dwellings.” (Luke 16:9)
  2. Tell the rich in the present age not to be proud and not to rely on so uncertain a thing as wealth but rather on God, who richly provides us with all things for our enjoyment. Tell them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous, ready to share, thus accumulating as treasure a good foundation for the future, so as to win the life that is true life. (1 Tim 6:17-19)

And so it is that the Lord tells us who are “cursed” to be first to store up our true treasure in heaven (Matt 6:19). Of course we do not store up our treasure in heaven by putting it in a balloon or rocket. Rather we store it up by generously dispensing it to the poor. Perhaps by simple gift, or by providing jobs and economic opportunity for others. Perhaps by sharing our gifts of knowledge, or time or other talents. In so doing perhaps our curse of being among the first will be overcome and the challenge will be met.

The great reversal is coming! Where will I be when the first trumpet sounds?

This Chant of the funeral Mass refers to the great reversal but prays that the deceased will be found with Lazarus who once was poor. The text says: In paradisum deducant te Angeli; in tuo adventu suscipiant te martyres, et perducant te in civitatem sanctam Ierusalem. Chorus angelorum te suscipiat, et cum Lazaro quondam paupere æternam habeas requiem.(May the angels lead you to paradise and at your coming may the martyrs receive you and may they lead you into the Holy City Jerusalem. May a choir of Angels receive you and with Lazarus who once was poor, may you have eternal rest).

This is a Choral version from the Faure Requiem

13 Replies to “And Many Who Are Last, Shall be First! Pondering the Great Reversal”

  1. It’s interesting to note that all the reversals have to do first with morals and second with living conditions. So you don’t need to worry about what you have or have not, because such worrying is against our dependency on God.

  2. Dear Msgr.- What a wonderful post! I have been away and I was so happy to find it! Those reversals are coming. I pray that we who have so much to share will – so that we will be among the sheep and not the goats.

  3. Might I also be right in thinking that many who are materially rich are spiritually poor, and that it is the duty of the spiritually rich, whether or not they are also simultaneously materially rich, to spread that spiritual wealth of firm faith in God to others, in whatever way they can? I certainly believe that you, Monsignor, are a spiritually rich man living in a materially rich country, who gives me and countless others across the world daily spiritual bread on a daily basis. Thank you and God bless you.

  4. We do need to worry if one has more than one needs while others barely survive. One needs very little. I remember walking down the streets of the historic part of Lima. There was a man there, in his 40’s with no legs, standing on his pelvis, arms stretched out, pleading aloud “for the love of God…” as people walked right by paying no attention whatsoever. “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” (Matthew 5:7) But what about those who walked right by?

    1. EIA: among other places, the answer to your question is, shall we say, menacingly, in the Pater Noster itself:

      “and forgive (ie treat) us our trespasses AS we forgive (ie treat) others”

      The implication is a warning from our God, like a shot across the bow, which is itself a mercy and kindness. We have been warned.

  5. Epistle 180
    My some ideas of “the homily” of Msgr. Charles Pope are here below:
    Firstly, reading and comprehension of Msgr. Charles Pope’s homily are very essential.
    The title of the homily told the whole tenor of the homily.
    Gist of the homily is in Jesus’ teaching. [Jesus said], “But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.” (Matt 19:30 & also Matt 20:16 & also Mark 10:31).
    And Msgr. Charles Pope also quoted six other sentences in New Testament to clarify this matter. Those six sentences are in Lk 1:52-53, Luke 16:25, Luke 6:21-26, Luke 12:48, Rom 8:18, 2 Cor 4:17-18.
    Msgr. Charles Pope said: “I am grateful if you will add to this list”. But I have no find any other sentence to add the list because I only am a small disciple of yours.
    At the end of the homily, Msgr. Charles Pope quoted “Chant of the funeral Mass refers to the Great Reversal”.
    The Chant of the funeral Mass is “May the angels lead you to paradise and at your coming may the martyrs receive you and may they lead you into the Holy City Jerusalem. May a choir of Angels receive you and with Lazarus who once was poor, may you have eternal rest”.
    Secondly, now we discuss additionally about the Father’s homily.
    In my opinion, gist of the homily is in Jesus’ teaching. [Jesus said], “But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”
    Jesus’ teaching means that “all who respond to the call of Jesus, at whatever time (first or last), will be the same in respect to inheriting the benefits of the kingdom, which is the gift of God”.
    This means that “If I respond to the call of Jesus, at whatever time (first or last), then I will be the same in respect to inheriting the benefits of the kingdom, which is the gift of God”.
    First or Last follows Lord Jesus will be equal each other.
    For instance, 12 Apostles of Lord Jesus (Firsts) and Paul the Apostle (Last) are equal each other in the Catholic Church and in Heaven./.

  6. “Seek First the Kingdon of God and His Justice….and everything else will be given to you in Good Measure.”

  7. Dear Msgr. Pope,
    You definitely have dissected and laid out to us what we need to know. Thank you.

    Also, recently somebody asked to hear more from Nguyen Thuong MInh and his seminary studies.
    I would like to know more about his life and studies in Vietnam also. Please tell us more about yourself and
    your fellow seminarians. Your English is very good.

  8. Terrific post Monsignor! It is probably one of the best short sermons on the problem of evil and the proper use of wealth/ good fortune I have ever read.

  9. “There are other texts, and I am grateful if you will add to this list. But, for now, let these suffice. As I have said, I am both challenged and consoled by these texts.”
    You have indeed selected texts which illustrate well, but I try to add;
    Note in the quote from 1 Timothy 6:9-10, it is not money which is the root of all evils (common misconception) but “love” of money. I will admit that misunderstandings can result from tying selected passages from all over but, while trying to avoid doing that and trying to honestly represent Scripture, I see an interesting one on money which can be found in Ecclesiastes 10:19 “We give parties to enjoy ourselves, wine makes us cheerful and money has an answer for everything.” Also, not just Matthew 6:19 but Matthew 6:2-4 as well.

Comments are closed.