Mass Readings: Is 66:18-21 Ps
117 Heb 12:5-7, 11-13 Lk
13:22-30
Dear Brothers
and Sisters in Christ,
The readings for the Twenty-First Sunday call us to
reflect on a fundamental question: Who will be included in the great banquet of
the Kingdom of God? The Gospel challenges us with the image of the narrow door-an
image that speaks not of exclusivity, but of intentionality, perseverance, and
true discipleship. Salvation
is not automatic-it requires effort, vigilance, and a personal response to
God’s invitation. Many will assume that proximity to Christ or familiarity with
His teachings is enough, but Jesus warns that not everyone who claims to know
Him will be recognized at the final judgment.
First Reading
The prophet Isaiah, writing during the post-exilic
period, offers a vision of God’s universal salvation. In this final section of
the book, known as Trito-Isaiah, we hear that not only Israel, but
people from all nations, will be gathered into God's presence. Isaiah proclaims
a radical inclusivity: even foreigners who remain faithful to God’s covenant
will be welcomed. This vision challenges the nationalistic and exclusivist
tendencies of the time and opens the horizon of salvation to all who sincerely
seek the Lord. The renewed Temple becomes a symbol of this wider embrace of
God’s grace.
Second Reading
The author of Hebrews reminds us that the trials
and hardships we face as believers are signs of God’s fatherly love. “The Lord
disciplines the one He loves” (Heb 12:6). Just as a loving father corrects his
child, so God allows us to be tested—not to punish, but to strengthen us.
Though discipline seems painful at first, it yields “the peaceful fruit of
righteousness” (Heb 12:11). This reading urges us to persevere, to stand firm
in our suffering, knowing that our trials shape us into children of grace and strengthen
our bond with God.
Gospel Reading
Jesus is asked a sobering question from the crowd
rather than the disciples: “Lord, will only a few be saved?” (Mt 22:14;
Lk 13:24) Instead of answering
directly (Acts 1:6), He urges the people: “Strive to enter through the narrow
door” (Lk 13:24; Mk 10:26). The word ‘strive’
(Greek: agonizesthe) suggests struggle, discipline, and
perseverance—like an athlete in training (1 Cor 9:25; 1 Tim 4:10)
Jesus refers to the “narrow door” or “narrow gate”
in Matthew 7:13-14 and Luke 13:23–24. Jesus then contrasts narrow door with the
“broad road” that leads to destruction, which “many” choose to follow. By
contrast, “small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and
only a few find it” (Mt 7:14).
The Narrow Door- Striving, Not Drifting
What, then, is this narrow door? The path to
salvation is the path of following Jesus-He is the way. Entering through
the narrow gate means walking the same path He walked: the way to Jerusalem,
the way to Calvary. Calvary was a stage of immense suffering, darkness, and
solitude, yet it opened onto a realm of light and joy, radiant with the dawn of
Easter. Even the entrance to Jesus’ tomb in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is
low and narrow, the interior small and dim. Yet from there the glory of the
Resurrection burst forth, rolling away the stone and flooding the world with
light and life.
The camel and the Eye of a Needle:
The invitation of Jesus to enter through the narrow door was directed to His
listeners of that time, urging them not to waste their energy speculating about
the fate of others, but rather to ensure that they themselves choose now to
enter by the narrow door—however challenging it may be—rather than postponing
the decision. For, on the last day, entry will be far more difficult, for the
narrow door can admit only a few, and many may find themselves left outside the
heavenly gate.
Jesus declares that the way into the banquet hall
is narrow. This imagery echoes His words in Matthew 19:24 about a camel passing
through the eye of a needle, highlighting the great challenge involved. It is a
vivid reminder of the difficulty of embracing the demands of Jesus, which call
for true self-denial and wholehearted discipleship.
Jesus – The Narrow Gate to Eternity
Jesus is the Door through which all must enter to
reach eternal life. There is no other way, for He alone is “the way, the
truth, and the life” (Jn 14:6). The way is narrow not because it is
restrictive in love, but because it is the only way-and relatively few choose
it. Many will seek alternate paths to God-through man-made rules, false
religions, or self-reliance. But these lead to the broad road ending in
destruction.
In contrast, the sheep recognize the voice of the
Good Shepherd and follow Him through the narrow way that leads to eternal life
(Jn 10:7-11). In the book of Revelation, John sees a countless multitude
standing before the throne of God, redeemed through the blood of the Lamb (Rev
7:9-10). The narrow door is not an escape from the hardships of a loveless
world, but an entrance into boundless love, mercy, and forgiveness.
“Lord, Open the Door to Us” – “I Do Not Know You”
Once the invited guests have arrived, Jesus, the
Master, closes the door. Why do some find themselves shut out? Jesus tells us
it is because they arrive too late-the door is already closed. Our earthly life
is the time given to us-our “today.” As St. Augustine warns, “God has
promised you His mercy, but He has not promised you tomorrow.”
Jesus uses a parable to explain that when the door
is shut, those who knock late-saying “We ate and drank with you”-will be told,
“I do not know where you come from” (Lk 13:25-27). This is a call to genuine
interior transformation, not superficial religiosity.
Until our final breath, we have the opportunity to
repent, to seek forgiveness, and to change our ways. Those who claim closeness
to Christ because they have shared His Eucharistic table and heard His Word,
but have failed to translate these gifts into works of justice and mercy, will
remain outside the eternal feast (Lk 13:26). Jesus even calls them “workers of
iniquity” (Lk 13:27), reminding us that faith without works is dead and that
worship without justice is unacceptable to God. Salvation is a free gift, but
it demands our cooperation. As Augustine says, “God, who created you without
you, cannot save you without you.”
Depart from Me, You Evildoers
The rejected guests protest, claiming that they
had once enjoyed table fellowship with Jesus (Mt 7:22f). Yet Jesus gives the
reason for their rejection, declaring that they had been evildoers (Lk 13:27;
Ps 6:9). The Master’s refusal provokes expressions of rage and despair from
those left outside the door (Mt 8:12b; 22:13b; see also Mt 13:42; 24:51;
25:30).
Among those welcomed into the banquet—besides the
prophets—are the three patriarchs (Mk 12:26; Lk 20:37; Acts 3:13; Heb 11:9).
This shows that it is not enough to have been physically near Jesus in His
earthly ministry, nor in our own time merely to be associated with holy people.
What truly matters is living in genuine communion with Him—knowing Him
personally, obeying His voice, and following Him faithfully.
The Last will be the First
Thus, Jesus offered them a vision of the
eschatological banquet-a feast at which Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the prophets
will be present. Yet, some who were expected to be inside will be excluded, and
others from the east and west, north and south-outsiders, including the
Gentiles-will take their place at the table (Lk 13:28-29). Thus, the prophesied
gathering of the dispersed tribes of Israel takes place (Ps 17:3; Is 43:5–6). The
final verse captures the divine reversal: “Some are last who will be first,
and some are first who will be last” (Lk 13:30). Those who once sat comfortably in
the “front row” may find themselves shut out, while the humble, overlooked, and
repentant are welcomed into the Kingdom.
Conclusion
The readings today urge us to take seriously our
personal response to God’s call. The prophet Isaiah invites all nations to come
to the Lord; the Letter to the Hebrews reminds us that God disciplines those He
loves; and the Gospel of Luke challenges us to pursue authentic discipleship by
entering through the narrow door of grace, humility, and perseverance. Let us
not take our faith for granted.
Entrance into the Kingdom of God is not secured
by heritage, social status, or mere outward acts of worship. It rests on our
willingness to humble ourselves, serve others, and walk faithfully with Christ.
The crucial question is not “How many will be saved?” but
“How will you be saved?” The answer lies in this
truth: we must enter through Jesus—the narrow door—if we are to find our
salvation. In other words, in today’s context, the “narrow door” is less about
how few enter, and more about how seriously we take our faith journey.
Points for personal reflection - Meaning of the
"Narrow Door" for Today
The “narrow door” is symbolic of the disciplined
and committed life of discipleship. It is not a question of mere association
with Christ but of authentic conversion. For us, disciples of Christ, entering
through the narrow door means that faith cannot be passive. We must resist
indifference, complacency, and the broad way of self-indulgence and superficial
Christianity. It calls us to live counter-cultural lives—taking Christ’s
radical teachings seriously: loving enemies, serving the least, carrying the cross.
The narrow door is the choice of integrity, humility, forgiveness, honesty, and
selfless love, even when society rewards shortcuts and comfort. Jesus also
warns of urgency—the narrow door will not remain open forever. May the Lord
grant us the grace to recognize the opportunities for conversion, to embrace
change, and never to let slip the moments to do good.
May we strive each day to walk the narrow way that
leads to life.
