30th Week in Ordinary Time
1st Reading: Eph 6:1-9
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother. This is the first commandment with a promise, that it may go well with you and that you may have a long life on earth. Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up with the training and instruction of the Lord. Slaves, be obedient to your human masters with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ, not only when being watched, as currying favor, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, willingly serving the Lord and not men, knowing that each will be requited from the Lord for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free. Masters, act in the same way towards them, and stop bullying, knowing that both they and you have a Master in heaven and that with him there is no partiality.
Gospel: Lk 13:22-30
Jesus passed through towns and villages, teaching as he went and making his way to Jerusalem. Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few people be saved?” He answered them, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough. After the master of the house has arisen and locked the door, then will you stand outside knocking and saying, ‘Lord, open the door for us.’ He will say to you in reply, ‘I do not know where you are from.’ And you will say, ‘We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets.’ Then he will say to you, ‘I do not know where you are from. Depart from me, all you evildoers!’ And there will be wailing and grinding of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God and you yourselves cast out. And people will come from the east and the west and from the north and the south and will recline at table in the Kingdom of God. For behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”
NARROW ROAD TO SALVATION: Jesus does not answer the question directly whether only a few will be saved but he advises the person not to remain self-assured of salvation saying, “We eat and drank with you…” Jesus says “No”! Having been part of the chosen people, or having the rare privilege of sharing a meal with him are no guarantee for salvation. Those who seek the narrow path – the way of the cross – those who follow him taking their own crosses are the people who will be saved. Among them will be found people belonging to the other races, colors and languages. They are the people who are considered last by the Jews but they will be the first to enter the heaven.) On the other hand some from the chosen race may find no place in the kingdom. Salvation is not based on privileges but by walking the way of the cross.
Prayer: Lord, may your kingdom come.
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ENTER THROUGH THE NARROW DOOR: Jesus is calling us to enter through the narrow door. It is the only way to the Kingdom of God. Very few will enter, so we must gird our loins. When the door is closed, the Lord will not open it. Those outside the door will be unknown to Him. Everyone who will enter the Kingdom will be equal before God. All Christians are called to enter the Kingdom of God before the judgment day. In order to realise this, we must live a life committed to Christ. When Christ comes, only those who have repented will go with Him. The unrepentant will be gnashing their teeth in hell. Also, we must embrace even those who have just repented because it does not matter what time we repent. Let us strive to enter the Kingdom of God.
PRAYER: Lord, help us to enter your kingdom.
**** ALL THINGS WORK FOR OUR GOOD: When completing a puzzle, some pieces do not make sense until the whole picture is emerged. There are some parts in our life which seem to make no sense. We struggle to accept some events as part of our personal history. However, in everything God is working for our good. What has apparently no sense today could be very meaningful in God’s plan. It is not that God wants us to suffer, but he can transform our sufferings into sources of great blessings. When troubles come, we do not lose hope. “We don’t tell God how big our problems are, we tell our problems how big our God is.”
DAILY GOSPEL 