In today’s readings there seems be a contrasting message about salvation. The first reading from the end of the prophet Isaiah is a prophecy about some very good news, the gathering all of nations to the see the glory of the Lord. Today’s Psalm response proclaims this joy, “Go out to all the world and tell the good news.”
But we hear in the Gospel Jesus being asked: “Lord, will only a few people be saved?” Jesus responds: “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you will attempt to enter, but will not be strong enough”. Will everyone be saved or only a few?
So what does Jesus mean by entering through the “narrow gate”? The cities and towns during Jesus time had a main gate that was a high and wide so people could get through with
all their animals and carts packed with all their worldly possessions. Most of the people would wait in long lines to go through the wide gates so they could take in all their possessions. There was also were narrow gates on each side of the main gate, that only one person could go through at a time. In order to go through the gate, you had to leave everything behind, and trust you were going to be ok. Jesus’s answer, was not so much about how many would be saved, but in order to be saved required having complete trust in him rather than things of the world.
By placing our trust in Jesus, we are going through the narrow gate. We are all offered the gift of salvation through Jesus’ death on the cross and triumph of resurrection. Faith in Jesus as our Savior is essential to receiving this gift. We are free to accept this gift by following Jesus as his disciples, or rejecting it and following world’s ways. The baggage of the world, of power, pleasure, and comfort distracts us from what’s most important: eternal life with our Lord. By leaving this baggage behind, we can go through the narrow gate that leads us to Jesus, and the receive salvation He offers us. In order to fully trust in Jesus, we need a conversion of heart, to respond in love to live as his disciple. This conversion calls us to put love of God and neighbor as the top priority in our lives. Jesus told the man to be saved, he must strive to enter through the narrow gate. The definition of strive is “to make a great effort to achieve something.” Are we making a great effort to respond to the gift of salvation by our hearts conversion to love God and neighbor?
Salvation requires more than just being a member of a group. It a conversion of heart as well, to be in relationship with Jesus so he knows us by our love. To make this point Jesus tells the parable about a master of a household who doesn’t recognize the person knocking at the door. In this parable Jesus is the master of the household. The person who questioned Jesus about salvation was a Jew and assumed only Jews would be saved. Even though the person knocking “ate and drank in the master’s company”, and “was taught by him”, he’s not recognized by the master. Why was he not recognized? Because the master never spoke to him; saw him feeding the hungry; caring for the sick; visiting the imprison; or clothing the naked. The master replies twice, “I don’t know where you are from” and to, “depart from me you evil doer”. Jesus tells him many others will be with the master, so it’s not just the Jews who are saved. Being a member of a group doesn’t bring salvation, but faith in Jesus and showing love for God and others. Would Jesus recognize us as one of his disciples if we were knocking at His door asking to be let in?
The last line of the Gospel tells how to get through the narrow gate: “For behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.” Mark’s Gospel says this another way that may be more clear “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all, and the servant of all. “ If we are striving to be first in God’s kingdom, we need the strength to be of service others done with the power of Christ’s love. A good way to remember this is to live life with joy and remember what the three letters of joy stands for.
J is for Jesus, reminding us to keep him first in our life through daily prayer, and frequent reception of the Sacraments.
O reminds us to love our neighbor through our words and actions.
Y is for you, reminding to serve God and others, so we can be first in God’s kingdom.
Living with joy gives us the strength we need to enter the narrow gate with the help of Jesus. His joy gives us the strength to do so. By spending time daily in prayer, receiving His mercy in the sacraments, and loving God and our neighbors we have the hope of the many nations of being welcomed into the salvation of God’s kingdom.
