Officers eat last

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/022525.cfm

In my time in the Marine Corps, I had the unglamorous job of being a cook. It afforded me the opportunity to see a Marine Corps tradition of servant leadership at work every day - it was called 'officers eat last'. While there were indeed many things about the Corps that were unbiblical, there were also a number of things that had a ring of real truth. This was one of them.

This really came back to me when I was running a mission trip to Appalachia. Everyone came hungry to meals. The combination of fresh air and hard work brought appetites to their peak. I always wanted to jump right in the line, I was usually one of the first there, but that phrase 'officers eat last' was always ringing in my ears, so I hung back. I used the time to chat up people in line and hear a little about their day or their struggles or their triumphs. It felt right, it felt like real truth.

Jesus shares this same real truth today in the Gospel. Those who wish to be great must put themselves last. This posture takes some trust. Sometimes it's a trust that the food won't run out, but on a much deeper level it is the trust that if there is no food left, it will be fine; you will survive. As is the case 100% of the time, Jesus does not ask what He is not willing to do himself - He puts all of humanity first.

As with many things, we usually can't jump right in at Jesus' level. So think of some ways today that you can take one step back, or allow someone else to take a step forward, following St. Paul's advice to "humbly regard others as more important than yourselves." Perhaps when we do, Jesus words will ring in our ears: "If anyone wishes to be first, he will be the last of all and the servant of all."