It can be compared to an athlete who does all kinds of strenuous preparations to win the contest.

It is not a simple entry through an easy door.

The persistent, that they endured in entering the narrow gate will be amply rewarded.

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Ephesians 6:1-9

Children, obey your parents

For this is right: Honor your father and your mother. And this is the first commandment that has a promise: that you may be happy and enjoy long life in the land. And you, fathers, do not make rebels of your children, but educate them by correction and instruction which the Lord may inspire.

 

Servants, obey your masters of this world with fear and respect, with simplicity of heart, as if obeying Christ. Do not serve only when you are watched, or in order to please others, but become servants of Christ who do God's will with all your heart. Work willingly for the Lord and not for humans, mindful that the good each one has done, whether servant or free, will be rewarded by the Lord.

 

And you, masters, deal with your servants in the same way, and do not threaten them, since you know that they and you have the same Lord who is in heaven, and he treats all fairly.

 

Ps 145:10-11, 12-13ab, 13cd-14 The Lord is faithful in all his words.

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊      

Luke 13:22-30

Jesus went through towns and villages teaching, and making his way to Jerusalem. Someone asked him, "Lord, is it true that few people will be saved?"

And Jesus answered, "Do your best to enter by the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able. When once the master of the house has gone inside and locked the door, you will stand outside. Then you will knock at the door, calling, 'Lord, open to us!! But he will say to you, 'I do not know where you come from.'

 

Then you will say, 'We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets!' But he will reply, 'I don't know where you come from. Away from me, all you workers of evil.'

You will weep and grind your teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves left outside. Others will sit at table in the kingdom of God, people coming from east and west, from north and south. Some who are among the last, will be first; and some who are among the first, will be last!"

 

Gospel Reflection ：

"The narrow door."

As followers of Jesus, we are called to participate in God's salvific act by aligning our life to a life worthy of Jesus' disciple. Today's Gospel speaks of the "narrow door" (stenës thuras) and of the teaching of Jesus concerning salvation. There is another parallel expression – the "narrow gate" (stenės pylës) found in Matthew 7:13-14.

 

On the one hand, the narrow gate in Matthew is contrasted with the gate that is wide (plateia he pyle, "wide is the gate"). This gate, leading to destruction, is taken by many while the narrow gate that leads to life is taken only by a few. On the other hand, in today's Gospel, the narrow door is not contrasted with the wide gate.

 

Luke tells us that many actually would attempt to enter it but will not be strong enough to do so. This implies that many will be inspired to follow Jesus but would not succeed because of the demands of discipleship. As Jesus' disciples, we are called to a changed life and have it sustained to the best of our ability. Should one be saved and be an instrument of salvation for others, our changed life must continually give witness to a sustained appropriate lifestyle.