Midway through Luke’s Gospel, Jesus is making his way to Jerusalem, where he will die, and nothing must stand in the way of his reaching that city and succeeding in his aim. Jesus continues to proclaim the kingdom to his disciples, and so when he is asked, Lord, will only a few people be saved?, his response must be understood in the context of his own imminent death. Strive to enter through the narrow gate, he responds, for many will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough. Committed to his own goal, Jesus is asking for their single-minded commitment as well, a commitment which requires surrendering to his love and to God’s will. While we are concerned with things other than the kingdom, the master will not open the door that he has locked, Jesus adds, and others whom his followers might deem unworthy will have perhaps entered before them: some who are last will be first. To enter the kingdom through the narrow gate, we must be one with him, fully surrendering to the power of his love at work in our lives.
Such commitment is not always easy, as the Letter to the Hebrews reminds us. In that community, some have rejected their faith in order to preserve their lives; the persecutions are the trials that the author of the Letter says they must endure as ‘discipline.’ They are children of the Lord, he reminds the community, and must stay true to the Lord’s path in spite of any and all difficulties. Firm in their commitment, they will be like the fugitives the Lord will send to the nations and distant coastlands in the Book of Isaiah, ready to proclaim God’s glory among the nations following the dictum to praise the Lord given in Psalm 117. We too must remain true to that relationship, committed to God’s love.
Are we ready to commit to the Lord’s path, holding firmly to our faith, surrendering to the power of his love in our lives, suffering, if necessary, but always and everywhere ready to proclaim God’s glory through praise? Will we strive to enter through the narrow gate? As disciples, we must be strong, because, Jesus tells us, it’s worth it!
This post is based on Fr. Pat’s Scripture class.
Image source: www.wordclouds.com
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