Posted by The WORD in other words (2012) by Fr Felmar Fiel SVD – San Miguel, Olutanga Island, Zamboanga
Tuesday 8th Week in Ordinary Time
I joined the Society of the Divine Word in 1998 as a young high school graduate for a very simple reason: I wanted to be a missionary priest. I believed with all my heart that God called me into missionary priesthood. The journey of my vocation practically brought me to different places in the Philippines, from A to W. From Abra to Zamboanga I won a lot of friends, a legion of prayer warriors and a treasure of cultural exchanges and religious encounters.
Rewards are also at stake in the present life to those who make sacrifices for God’s Kingdom. While there is the reward of eternal life in the life to come certain rewards like friendship, human fulfillment and a hundredfold others exciting experiences may also come in ways beyond one’s imagination.
However, Jesus in today’s Gospel, also speaks of the reality of persecution. Following him is far from easy, it has also its share of trials and agonies. Here is my mission area in Olutanga Island, aside from very bad roads, there is also the possibility of being kidnapped. When I arrived in the Island, we received an intelligence report from the military that extremist groups will kidnap one teacher, one doctor, one businessman and one priest. I remember being escorted by 5 military personnel when I celebrated a fiesta mass in one of our chapels. The following day, indeed, a priest was kidnapped in the Pagadian area.
When Jesus said that the first shall be last, and the last shall be first, this does not mean that the lowest position in this life automatically becomes the highest in the eternal kingdom. It will be based on how faithful we have served God. According the quality of service to God, then those who have prominent places in this life will someday find demoted and many who often find themselves at the end of the line will find themselves promoted. The first shall be the last, and the last shall be first.
