This Week in Focus

Who will get into the kingdom of God? Here are some very practical guidelines from today’s gospel:

• It isn’t “first come, first served.” Even if you have been camped out all night, people from the end of the line might be allowed in ahead of you.

• It doesn’t matter who you know. Even hanging out with Jesus himself doesn’t cut it. In other words, a person’s sense of privilege, whether inherited, earned, or invented, is pretty much worthless.

• People you never thought had a shot at this will be sitting in the good seats—and there will be a whole lot more of them than you ever imagined.

• It is a mistake to just sit back and assume that you’re in. Apparently, it takes hard work. Jesus uses the word “strive,” which means pulling out all the stops and doing everything you can.

• The best chance of success is to be humble and serve others. Skip the big main doors, where everyone will notice your entrance, and slip around to the narrow door at the side. What really counts is how you treat other people.

Yes, it all goes against the unstated rules of how to get ahead in today’s world. But that’s the whole point, isn’t it?

Susan Eaton