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HOMILIES ARCHIVE
HOMILIES
Dear Audience,For better understanding of the spiritual message behind this homily I kindly remind you to first read and contemplate the biblical texts before reading or listening to my preaching - a human reflection on the Word of God!
Twenty First Sunday of Ordinary Time (Year C)
395
4
0First Reading
A reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah (66:18-21)
Thus says the Lord: I know their works and their thoughts, and I come to gather nations of every language; they shall come and see my glory. I will set a sign among them; from them I will send fugitives to the nations: to Tarshish, Put and Lud, Mosoch, Tubal and Javan, to the distant coastlands that have never heard of my fame, or seen my glory; and they shall proclaim my glory among the nations. They shall bring all your brothers and sisters from all the nations as an offering to the Lord, on horses and in chariots, in carts, upon mules and dromedaries, to Jerusalem, my holy mountain, says the Lord, just as the Israelites bring their offering to the house of the Lord in clean vessels. Some of these I will take as priests and Levites, says the Lord.
(P) The word of the Lord.(R) Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalms of David (117:1, 2)
(R) Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
Praise the Lord, all you nations; glorify him, all you peoples! (R)
For steadfast is his kindness toward us, and the fidelity of the Lord endures forever. (R)
Second Reading
A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Hebrews (12:5-7, 11-13)
Brothers and sisters: You have forgotten the exhortation addressed to you as children: "My son, do not disdain the discipline of the Lord or lose heart when reproved by him; for whom the Lord loves, he disciplines; he scourges every son he acknowledges." Endure your trials as "discipline"; God treats you as sons. For what "son" is there whom his father does not discipline? At the time, all discipline seems a cause not for joy but for pain, yet later it brings the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who are trained by it.
So strengthen your drooping hands and your weak knees. Make straight paths for your feet, that what is lame may not be disjointed but healed.
(P) The word of the Lord.(R) Thanks be to God.
Gospel
A reading from the holy Gospel according to 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."
(P) The Gospel of the Lord.(R) Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Homily
One of the very well-known and powerful Catholic preachers in the 20th century was Archbishop Fulton Sheen. He was famous for his radio and television programs like The Catholic Hour and Life is Worth Living. He died in 1979 and was declared venerable by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012. In his autobiography, Treasure in Clay, Fulton Sheen speaks of three surprises that await him in heaven. The first surprise is that he will see people whom he never expected to see. The second surprise is that some people whom he expected to see would not be there. The third and the biggest surprise of all is that he himself would be there.
In today's Gospel, Jesus addresses the question of who will make it to heaven, Luke (13:22-30). During His earthly ministry, when people asked Jesus questions, He most often responded with a parable or another question. Sometimes, too, He remained silent, particularly when facing malicious interrogations designed to trap Him and then redirected the people's attention from the immediate question to self-reflection and deeper spiritual truths, rather than providing direct answers. Today's gospel begins with one such question. An unknown man asked Jesus, "Lord, will only a few people be saved?"
The reason for this question is not explicitly stated. However, we can reasonably assume the questioner was familiar with Old Testament scriptures and Jewish writings about salvation, given the context of Jesus teaching about the Kingdom of Heaven as He travelled through Jewish towns and villages towards Jersualem. For instance, The Mishnah or the first major written collection of the Jewish oral traditions, known as the Oral Torah, states that, "All Israelites have a share in the world to come", Tractate Sanhedrin (10:1). It means that all members of the Jewish people regardless of their actions and status in the world, are guaranteed a place in the afterlife, because as Prophet Isaiah says that they are all righteous in God's eyes, Isaiah (60:21). However, directly contradicting the idea of universal salvation for all Israelites, in an apocalyptic text called Ezra, the author states an angel telling Ezra that the world to come is for the sake of "few" rather than "many", 4 Ezra (8:1). In other words, while many have been created, only a few will be saved.
Whatever the motivation of the questioner, Jesus redirected the question about the number of people being saved to the urgency and personal effort required for salvation. Jesus said, "Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough", Luke (13:24). From this we understand that those who are saved are the ones who have entered through the narrow gate. What then is this narrow gate?
Most cities in the ancient world were surrounded by walls that had large gates in them. The old city of Jerusalem also had a great, high wall with many gates, though precise number and names varied throughout history. These gates were large enough for two-way traffic both for people and goods. However, they were closed and locked at night for security, especially during times of conflict, but less secure side gates or posterns were kept open for people to enter and exit the city discreetly without exposing others to danger. These smaller, or narrower gates were what Jesus was talking about. These gates were like modern turnstiles - only one person at a time could enter through them. Through this metaphor of the "narrow gate," Jesus wanted His followers to know that the path to God's Kingdom, or Heaven, or salvation, is difficult and demanding, requiring intentional choices, personal effort, perseverance, humility, not a simple or easy process. It stands in contrast to the "wide gate" and "broad way" a popular and easy path of sin and worldly conformity that leads to destruction.
The narrow gate involves obedience, sacrifice, self-denial, and total surrender to God which only a few people choose. Hence, Jesus reminded them that entry into God's Kingdom is not a guarantee even for those who identify with Him, but for those who make a conscious decision to follow Him and live a life of righteousness. Jesus went further, warning them that they may face a situation where they may stand at the gate and press for entry saying that they were acquainted with Him during His earthly life, but they may be prevented from entering, as the Master of the house will say that he doesn't know them while others beginning with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and people from all directions - east, west, north, and south - will come and recline at the table in God's Kingdom.
Finally, Jesus stated, "Behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last," indicating that many who were initially outside the covenant, such as non-Jews or Gentiles, those who are seen as insignificant or "last" in society will be included and honoured first in God's Kingdom, while those who considered themselves important or privileged in the eyes of the world, including some Jewish people and His own followers, may find themselves shut out of God's kingdom, leading to weeping and gnashing of teeth.
What is the message for us?
Salvation is not a one-time event but a process involving past, present and future. We were saved from the bondage of sin when we were baptized into Christ, Romans (6:3-4). We are being saved when we cooperate with God's grace through faith, good works, and sacraments. And we will be eternally saved when we respond to God's invitation through both a sincere, heart-felt belief and an outward, verbal confession of that belief at the moment of death or on the Day of Judgment, Romans (10:9-10).
Now that we have accepted the process of salvation, Jesus wants us to make wise decisions by choosing the "narrow gate" that is, the difficult, sacrificial path of righteousness, obedience to God's will, and spiritual growth that leads to a true, eternal life and avoid the "wide gate" that is, the easy, popular path of worldly ways that leads to ruin. Let us, therefore, make a conscious and consistent effort each day to follow Jesus' teachings, turn from sin, remain open to His guidance, embrace His way, and accept His offer of salvation, rather than assuming our place in the Kingdom of Heaven will be guaranteed later.
Today, once more, Jesus extends a pressing invitation to us, without distinction, to go to Him, to pass through the door of salvation and be saved. It is an occasion that can never be wasted. Because, as Jesus said, at a certain moment, the Master of the House will rise and shut the "door" of opportunity or salvation. Yes. If we do not accept the opportunity for salvation, when God closes the door, many of us will not be inside the Kingdom of Heaven but we will be outside. We will be "knocking and pleading," but we will be denied entry into the Kingdom of Heaven because we never made a personal, committed effort to enter through the narrow door of true faith in Christ and follow Him daily, although we claimed to know Him and His teachings.
God Bless You!
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