21^st Sunday in O.T. (C); 8-25-2019

Is 66:18-21   Ps 117   Heb 12:5-7,11-13   Lk 13:22-30

Deacon Jim McFadden

A few years ago an inmate at Folsom Prison approached me and said, “Deacon, I came across a number in Scripture that says only 150,000 people are going to be saved. If that’s so, I don’t stand a chance, do I?” His concern is mirrored in today’s Gospel, in which a man asks Jesus, “Lord, will only a few people be saved?” (Lk 13:23).

Behind the inmate’s question may have been the fear that since human beings tend to exclude others, that God does the same. Since only “150,000 people are going to be saved,” he was afraid that being an inmate immediately disqualified him—sort of like a heavenly 3 Strikes.

Rather than getting caught up in just how many people are going to be saved, Jesus shifts the issue to another level by evoking an alluring symbol:   “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough” (v. 24). Using the image of a ‘narrow gate’, he wants the listeners to understand that it is not a question of numbers—how many will be saved, am I one of the chosen few, etc. Indeed, how many is just not relevant; it’s asking the wrong question. The right question to ask is what or who is the way that leads to salvation.

            The way to salvation is a narrow gate, a door. But, where is the door? Who is the door? Put simply, Jesus himself is the door, which he confirms in the Gospel of John: “I am the door” (Jn 10:9). Jesus is the door, the entrance way into the life of the Trinity. He leads us into communion with the Father where we find unconditioned love that is eternal, where we find understanding and protection.

Jesus’ invitation to eternal life is open to everyone. Jesus—whose name means “God saves—is the savior of the whole world, not just a select group of 150,000.   Awesome! But, why is the gate narrow if its open to everyone. It is narrow, not because only a few can enter, but because it is the only way to enter this communion.   Jesus is not just a way, he is THE way, the only way to salvation. Our Lord is challenging us to find our center in him; to root our life in relationship with Christ. That’s why the gate is narrow because it strictly fits Christ. That means that are no other alternative or parallel paths. He is the only Way, which means that our life, if we are to be fully human, must be centered on Jesus. When we make that commitment, then ALL of our energies, aspirations, and powers of our soul fall into his embrace. The message is clear: when our lives revolve around Christ, when we enter through the narrow gate and no other door, then we will find order, harmony, and a sense of peace because we are grounded in what is really REAL. And, by implication, if we try to enter into eternal life through another door—money, prestige, pleasure, and power—then we will fall into disharmony and our soul will be off kilter; we will experience dis-ease

So, the narrow gate is open to everyone! God does not have preferences, but always welcomes everyone without distinction. But, the narrow gate of Jesus does demand that we be honest with ourselves and leave our baggage behind. To gain entry, we have to admit, just as Pope Francis defined himself, that we all are sinners. Unless I can admit that I am a sinner, I can’t get through the door. We need to have self-awareness that we are in radical need of salvation that only Jesus can provide. This self-awareness reflects a line from G.K. Chesterton who once said that a saint is one who knows he’s a sinner. With that acknowledgment, we can leave behind our pride and fear. With Jesus being the center of our lives, we can now open ourselves to his unending flow of forgiveness and mercy that can overcome any barrier. The infusion of his grace is transformative, in which the Light of Christ illuminates our consciousness and his tender mercy brings us peace. Yes, the door is narrow, but let us not forget that it is always open wide because we receive God’s very Being.

The final caveat of entering the narrow gate is to recognize that your life is not about you, which runs counter to our individualistic, consumer-driven, self-referential culture. To enter into the Way of Jesus I have to get beyond my own desires and cravings, my own ambitions and agenda, and to live for something bigger: or more, accurately, to live for Someone bigger: Jesus Christ.

Those who are disciples of Jesus, those who are falling in love with our Lord, know that they are participating in something far greater than themselves. Rather than feeling diminished, they rejoice in living in Christ which integrates everything in their life. They become whole and their hearts ever-expansive. Life just gets easier.

Brothers and sisters, Jesus is offering us an opportunity to be saved and to participate in the fullness of life. It’s an opportunity that we don’t want to waste. Jesus is inviting us into an ‘I-Thou’ relationship that is meant to be eternal, which begins here and now. But, unlike the master of the house, let us not shut the door. God is always good and he will never stop loving us, but we do have to open the door and enter the narrow gate of Jesus. Let us open that door because our eternal salvation hangs on it. There is no Plan B. Amen.