2025 8 24 – homily wk 21 OT Sun 8 930 mass – Is 66 18-21 _ Ps 117 _ Heb 12 5-7 11-13 _ Lk 13 22-30 _ Narrow and wide gate
On the surface, this is a frightful gospel passage.
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As the Magnificat magazine says for today, “the most horrifying scenario imaginable is to stand outside, knocking on the locked door only to hear the Lord respond” I do not know where you are from,” (Magnificat magazine August 24, 2025, pp 345-6)
Jesus says there are two gates the narrow gate that many tried to enter but cannot because they are not strong enough and the wide gate that leads to destruction.
It definitely sounds bad, but I believe there’s mostly good news in this passage.
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First, I believe the narrow gate and the wide gate is a parable, and as such a warning in advance to help us avoid the disaster. A disaster we can avoid.
So how is this so, Fr. Peter?
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Well, our first reading which normally ties to the gospel brings us good news.
The prophet Isaiah tells us that God wishes to bring people from all the nations to his holy temple, which is a metaphor for heaven.
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God wishes all be saved
(1 Timothy 2:4)
God wishes that all people be saved. (1 Timothy 2:4). This theme is repeated in
- John’s first letter chapter 4,
- Saint Paul’s letter to the Romans chapter 10
- and Saint Luke’s Acts of the Apostles chapter 3
So if God wants all to be saved, what does he want us to do. The rest of the sentence quoted above from first Timothy says that God wants all people to come to a knowledge of the truth.
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1-Know truth
This is a little challenging for us in today’s individualistic and truth is what I think it is age.
The reality is there is absolute truth, and we need to embrace and accept that.
Obedience is a bad word in today’s culture. Obedience is hard even for a priest. Obedience is considered harder than chastity.
Our response Psalm 117 tells us another way to be saved. Go out to all the world and share the good news.
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2-Share Good news
Go out to all the world and share the good news. The word for good news is gospel in Latin and evangelion in Greek, which is where we get the word evangelization.
And what is evangelization? Father Alex shared last year that evangelization is just telling one friend about another friend, our friend Jesus.
And how do we live and grow?
Saint Paul shares in our second reading that we must accept sufferings and struggles as discipline.
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3-accept trials
As discipline
St Paul tells us to not look down upon the discipline of the Lord or lose heart because God disciplines those he loves. I, like all of you, have experienced suffering and struggles. I have often followed St Paul’s command to endure all our trials as discipline. When evil comes and struggles arise, endure these as discipline, even if all the signs point towards someone else as the cause. It is rare that someone else is 100% at fault, but even if that were the case, God has permitted this trial to come into our life. And we can grow from this.
In fact one of my favorite Bible verses is how we’re perfected through suffering.
Saint Paul’s letter to the Romans states, We glory in our sufferings because suffering produces perseverance; Perseverance produces character; And character produces hope and hope does not disappoint us. (Romans 5:3-5)
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Suffering → perseverance
Perseverance → character
Character → hope
For those of you who don’t read the Bible much I have a baseball analogy
If you are only a Cubs fan when the Cubs are in the Pennant race are you really a Cubs fan?
NO!
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And so, we should see the warning of today’s Gospel as a Grace.
We need to recognize that there’s no cheap Grace. The son of God died on the cross for all of us and our sins. This is a big deal. It requires some action on our part. We should believe and then act as sons and daughters of the king of the universe.
We live out our calling as God‘s children when we recognize that we all need Jesus. That no one is perfect that we all have fallen short of the glory of God.
As of often also said its easy to find out where you fall short of the glory of God. if you don’t know what you need to work on just talk to your wife or your husband. Not married talk to a brother or sister. They will be more than happy to tell you where you fall short.
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Homework:
Ask wife or husband
brother or sister
Your shortcomings.
This is our homework this week, Ask your wife or husband, or your brother or sister your weaknesses.
Them we must do the hard work of change and conform our life to our calling to be God‘s children. If we do make the changes then those who are last will be first and we will recline with them at table in the kingdom of God for eternity. (Magnificat magazine August 24, 2025, pp 345-6)
