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 to 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 the like.
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