Cycle C - Year II:  

21 August 2016: Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time

(Liturgical color: Green)

Gospel: Please read  Luke 13:22-30

Passing through the narrow door!

When life's challenges seem so overwhelming, one practical way to deal with them is "one step at a time".... slowly, carefully, and deliberately; without being careless or in a rush.

In the Gospel this Sunday, our Lord warns us that the path to the heavenly kingdom is also full of challenges and hardships. We have to pass through the narrow door to enter the kingdom of God.

As He makes his way to Jerusalem, Jesus is asked, "Lord, will only a few people be saved?" Jesus' reply is rather startling. He says that although many will attempt to enter heaven through the narrow gate, but will not be strong enough to persevere.

Let us start our reflection from where we are coming from. The road

of life in this world is wide, and many follow it because it is like a river of desires and pleasures. On the other hand, the road to heaven is narrow and difficult to follow because it demands following the Gospel in words and actions. It is so easy to stray from it because of the so many distractions of the world. Because knowing the Lord and the Gospel is not enough. It is necessary to live the life that Jesus lived and put His word into practice.

The Gospel reading is really a wake up call. God's invitation is open to all. But we often forget that salvation is realized according to God's terms and not merely our own interpretation of God's terms to be. In other words, just because you may claim to love God, it doesn't necessarily mean that you love Him as He desires or expects to be loved. Thus, the Gospel passage reminds us not to presume that all who claim friendship with God are in fact and in truth His friends.

Let us heed seriously Jesus' warning that we can be excluded from entering the kingdom if we do not strive to enter by the narrow gate. And the door that Jesus is talking about is Himself: "I am the door; if anyone enters by me, he will be saved." (Jn 10:9)

Jesus open the way for us to enter into His kingdom through the cross. We must follow Him in the way of the cross. This means that to enter the kingdom of God one must struggle against the forces of temptation, and whatever would hinder us from doing the will of God, including  apathy, indifference, and compromises.

But the Good News is that we do not struggle alone. God Himself is with us and His grace is sufficient.

In sum, the pursuit of the kingdom of Heaven demands hard work, obedience and perseverance. Many start the walk on the road to salvation but few stay on it or persevere in the journey. It is because the evil one is constantly setting obstacles in the path of holiness. We need to pray constantly for our faith to be strong.

Do you trust in God's grace and help, especially in times of testing and temptation? 

Let us pray for humility to see that God's kingdom is a gift which we have to accept with joy and gratitude, so that it may bear fruits in our daily lives.

A blessed Sunday to us all. And thank you for a moment with God.

Ad Jesum per Mariam!