Posted by Word Alive–Fr. Bel San Luis, SVD August 21, 2022 / 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time / C
A story is told about a good and devout Catholic barangay chairman who died and off he went to the next life. In the afterlife, one either goes to the top floor called “heaven” where the righteous get their reward of eternal bliss. Those who have venial sins go to the second floor called “purgatory,” and the damned are herded to the fiery basement that’s “hell.”
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Now the barangay chairman arrived at the second floor (purgatory). As he roamed about his new home, to his surprise he met his former parish priest.
“Father, I didn’t expect you to be here,” the excited parishioner blurted. “Why aren’t you up there?” pointing to heaven.
“Ssshhhh, quiet, brod; on my way here I met our mayor down below us!” said the priest pointing to the basement (hell).
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This amusing story somehow illustrates Christ’s teaching in this Sunday’s gospel that “there are those last now who will be first, and first now who will be last” (Lk 13,30).
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What Christ means is that there will be a reversal of places in God’s kingdom. He was referring particularly to the Israelites, the chosen people, who were privileged to “eat and drink in his company” and who believed that blood descent from Abraham or being a Jew was a sure-fire guarantee of salvation.
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Jesus’ declaration, however, is not only aimed at his countrymen but to all his followers. He warns us that that we must enter through the narrow door to gain eternal salvation” (Lk 13,24).
By “narrow door,” Jesus means, as the word connotes, that entering involves difficulty, inconvenience, and struggle.
God’s kingdom is not for the easy-goers, the lazy, the irresponsible, the corrupt and merciless.
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What’s required is a faith that bears fruit in works of love that’s consistent with one’s conduct.
For instance, there’s a mayor who never fails to attend Sunday Mass. He even enjoins his constituents to follow his good example.
However, he’s engaged in big-time smuggling of taxable goods.
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Entering through the narrow door can signify doing the will of God in situations that are difficult, like being faithful to one’s spouse when the temptation is very strong to be disloyal, or to be honest despite knowing some office mates enriching themselves with ill-gotten wealth.
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Another “narrow door” can be the difficulty of forgiving one’s enemy despite the Lord’s unequivocal statement: “If you don’t forgive your brother his offence, your heavenly Father will not forgive you either” (Matthew 6,15).
Entering the narrow door is not a choice but a CONDITION of entering the Kingdom of God.
Finally, let’s follow the Lord’s teaching about entering the door while we still have the time. Life is short. The door is open, but it will soon be closed for some of us. Nobody lives forever.
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