Fr. John O’Callaghan: ‘Strive to enter through the narrow door!’ Today’s gospel is a call to follow the way of Christ and for us to thus securely enter the Kingdom of God. It is an invitation not to be postponed as it seems that at some stage the door will closed.
Enrolling in or renewing a way of life is very topical at this time, as schools open and university places become available. And there are selection processes and criteria for acceptance. For high-end destinations a lot of points are required and there can even be a lottery system to secure one of a very limited number of places.
But for the Kingdom of God, it is different. Jesus did not say that there is a limited number of places, or that it is a numbers game. He has opened admissions to all seekers. The Old Testament reading said ‘I am coming to gather nations and tongues, and they shall see my glory … on my holy mountain’; and the gospel matched it saying the Kingdom will include ‘People from east and west, from north and south, not the Jewish people only.
But the Kingdom of God does have entrance criteria. First of all it has to be freely sought after by the individual. Personal commitment is essential. We are each faced with our own responsibility on this issue, and take the consequences.
And in the gospel Jesus assures us that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are of that kingdom. It is a way of saying that entrance to the kingdom comes with a recognition of the one true God and Creator who has revealed himself in the Mosaic and prophetic traditions of Israel. Those traditions point towards Christ; we need to recognise God revealing himself in Christ.
And, most importantly, unlike for some entrance procedures, familiarity or friendship with the authorities does not give a privileged access; it is not a matter of who you know, in the Vatican for instance! No,no, Christ warns that familiarity with him, ‘we ate and drank with you; you taught in our streets’, does not automatically result in a place in the kingdom. ‘! Being of the same Jewish race or a card carrying Catholic does not suffice. ‘
“Away from me, all you evil doers” he tells some of them. It is honest, sincere discipleship that gives access; it is by following his way of love, or at least attempting to. Ultimately what we are talking about here are rival loves. At the beginning of a school year we have every right to love learning, to love sport, to love our friends. But let us love them as Christians, knowing they are not absolutes, dominating, controlling, ‘owning’ our lives. They are gifts and for a time. As we move from one home to another in the course of our lives, from family, to school to the world of work and elsewhere, let us remember that our destiny is greater than them all, our true homeland is in heaven. If we made of one of our passing homes the final end of our life that would be the final end of us. So, bearing in mind the law of love, let us approach study with serenity, sport with honesty, and people with Christian respect, thanking God for all these blessings on our way towards his Kingdom.