To get, in our life, space in order that “the others” may grow and may have the best, it is necessary that beforehand, we have the courage of allowing God to be the first in our lives.

A concrete and important gesture is to train this option of life allowing that the Word of God lives in our hearts. We come to meditate on the Gospel of Luke 14:1, 7-14. Pick up your Bible and read the text.

Jesus is in the house of a leader of the pharisees, being observed by them, therefore, He also sees them, not only around him, but He sees them through the heart. And helping them, not by teaching a social rule, but in the change of behavior that should begin in the heart. The Lord tells a parable to the pharisees to teach them that the first places our for persons.

Does this mean that these places are reserved for the rich, politicians, artists, business people? No, of course not! Jesus wants to show how it is necessary to recognize that our brothers are important, independent of what they possess and regardless of whether they can or cannot pay us back one day.

When Jesus indicates the list of the invited number destined to the first place, he says “Invite the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame! They you will be happy, for these cannot pay you back!

In this way, the Lord Jesus invites them to redo the lists of persons that in their life, occupy the first places. How do you choose? Because they can, one day, pay your back with advantages and gifts, invite them? Think well, remake your list beginning with the teaching of Jesus. Perhaps beginning with those of your family?

The worst exclusion is what happens inside of the house, in the family. When we leave the last place for the elderly, the sick, the inconvenient and annoying people, the people we cannot forgive. The word invites us to invert this list and give the first place to the last.

Are we going to begin this revolution, first in our house? Giving importance to those persons that covertly were excluded by us?

Get to work! We have alot of work, that the least may be first, beginning inside our heart, our family and finally in the whole world.
God bless you!

Padre Fabrício
Member of the Canção Nova Community

translated from Portuguese

Photo: File/CN