Today’s Gospel is good news but it is also a wakeup call. “Will only a few people be saved,” Jesus was asked. Some scripture scholars tell us that the questioner was likely expecting Jesus to affirm the belief that Gentiles, foreigners could not be saved. So he must have been surprised with the response. The gate is narrow, Jesus answered, but open to all.
In the first reading from Isaiah, the Lord said, “I come to gather nations of every language . . . they shall bring their brothers and sisters from all the nations.” Jesus said in the Gospel reading, “people will come from the east and the west and from the north and the south and we will recline at table in the kingdom of God.”
The universal Catholic Church includes those from all nations and from all directions. The Church on the prairie was built by immigrants from distant shores and Native Americans who were here decades before. At first German, Irish, French, English immigrants as priests, sisters, and laity came to South Dakota. Now we are enriched by immigrants from the many countries of Central and South America, Africa and Asia. This history and present reality reminds us of the diversity in the Church that can sometimes be difficult to comprehend.
It is good to be challenged by the diversity of cultures so that our moral decisions are thought through, respectful of life and not casually or selfishly made. Pope Francis, the first Pope from South America, is constantly challenging our ways of living the faith. He has urged us not to be lukewarm Catholics, there in the good times or in our need but pulling back when faithfulness is hard or we encounter others in need, especially those different from us.
Jesus also clearly states that not all will be saved. Some will try to enter by way of a wider gate that allows the parameters to be determined by themselves; but they will not succeed. Those who diet from selfishness and the things of the world that stand in the way of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ will be welcomed.
So what does it take to enter the narrow gate? As the reading from Hebrews reminds us, we need spiritual discipline, allowing God to form us into living witnesses of Christ. “Endure your trials as discipline,” the inspired writer counsels.
Spiritual discipline is reflected in how we prepare every day and deal with the crosses that come our way. To observe the fruits of discipline we can look to the athletes who are competing in the Olympics. I happened upon the women’s water polo competition, a sport not carried in prime time and little known. It is a wearing sport. These athletes spend long minutes treading water with what is called the “eggbeater kick” while ever attentive to when the ball comes their way which must be caught with one hand and be quickly passed to another with the anticipation that one of them would send it through the narrow gate and score a goal. They tread water and when the ball goes in the other direction they swim the length of the pool and tread water at the other end. It looks exhausting. How they must have trained and maintained discipline to simply have the stamina, keep at it, let alone win a medal. Yet these ladies chose to do so and accepted to do what was necessary to excel.
Spiritual discipline is not unlike that. We must choose to undergo what it takes to grow in holiness. Most important is to maintain a healthy prayer life, place participation in the Church and the sacraments as a priority and grow in ones relationship with Christ reflected in how we relate to others. When our spiritual roots are shallow, it shows in our increased vulnerability to temptation, to be judgmental and to strain our relationships and thereby carry baggage too great for the narrow gate.
The story is told of four year old Andrew who spilled food from the table making quite a mess. His mother became angry and screamed at him. Andrew responded as only a youngster can,” Mommy, you forgot to ask Jesus to help you be nice today, didn’t you? “
As the psalm reminds us, we ought to give praise to the Lord for steadfast is his kindness even in those times when we are not kind or may doubt his unconditional love. It is in trusting in God’s will and God’s way during the trials and crosses of our lives that we remove the excess weight that might prevent us from passing through the narrow gate. Instead of crying woe is me, we might better ask what is God teaching me through this experience. Or as Padre Pio put it: “don’t’ ask why; ask what am I supposed to do.” The writer of Hebrews advises: “strengthen your drooping hands and your weak knees, make straight paths for your feet, that what is lame may not be disjointed but healed.” We can do so if we take life one day at a time though with thought to the future, not being overwhelmed with the magnitude of the task nor underestimate the impact we can have by witnessing our faith well. St. Bernard said every morning he would ask himself “why am I here?” His daily response was: to seek to live a holy life. Each of us can so seek to better live a holy life whatever our status or condition.
During a severe storm, thousands of star fish were washed ashore on an ocean beach. Later a little boy walked along the beach throwing the fish back into the water one by one hoping they might live. A man watched him and called out to the boy, “you’re doing great, little guy, but frankly it’s not going to make much difference with so many”. The boy picked up another fish and as he threw it into the surf said, “maybe not, but it sure made a difference for that one”. We can make a difference for others and for ourselves when we keep perspective, our sights realistic and our lives focused on growing in holiness by following the teachings of Christ and his church, doing the best we can each day, and then turning our future over to God whose mercy is without limit.
Why are we here today? To grow in holiness, to strive to enter the narrow gate into the heavenly banquet. The good news: all are invited; the wakeup call: the response to Christ’s invitation is up to us.