Gospel: Luke 13:22-30
Jesus passed through
towns and villages, teaching as he went and making his way to Jerusalem.
Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few people be saved?” He answered them,
“Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to
enter but will not be strong enough. After the master of the house has arisen
and locked the door, then will you stand outside knocking and saying, ‘Lord,
open the door for us.’ He will say to you in reply, ‘I do not know where you
are from. And you will say, ‘We ate and drank in your company and you taught in
our streets.’ Then he will say to you, ‘I do not know where you are from.
Depart from me, all you evildoers!’ And there will be wailing and grinding of
teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and all the prophets in the
kingdom of God and you yourselves cast out. And people will come from the east
and the west and from the north and the south and will recline at table in the
kingdom of God. For behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first
who will be last.”
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Reflection:
A lady who was very
obedient in her catholic faith was asking herself this question: “what should I
do to be in heaven someday”? She herself answered her question by saying, I
need to be at the Eucharistic celebration every Sunday, I need to pray the
rosary everyday and I need to humbly submit myself to the Sacrament of
Reconciliation at least once a year.
She did all of these
acts of piety for she believed that this would be her passage to heaven. When
she died she was confident of having a hassle free passage towards the door of
heaven. However when she was about to enter an angel prevented her from passing
through the door. Therefore her acts of piety were not enough to enter heaven.
What is the secret ingredient that is lacking in her recipe to enter heaven?
In the gospel for
this Sunday someone asked Jesus, "Lord will only a few people be
saved?" Jesus said strive to enter the narrow gate, for many I tell you
will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough (Luke 13:23-24).
Our acts of piety
and worship for God are good for it will lead us to know more about God and it
will surely deepen our relationship with Him. But we still need to take that
extra step to complete the recipe to enter the narrow gate that leads to
heaven.
We need to put flesh
to our acts of piety. In other words we need to translate our worship for God
to living acts of mercy, love, compassion, humility and so forth.
What is the use of going
to Holy Mass every Sunday if we don’t allow it to transform us? What is the use
of reading the bible if we don’t live the teachings of Jesus in the bible? What
is the use of praying the Holy Rosary if we don’t live the humility of the
Blessed Mother? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
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