The tiny gate latch I hold here today is a reminder; a reminder of the narrow gate. Let me explain. As a young boy, my sisters and I lived with my grandmother and we lived 2 blocks from the school we attended. When my sister Kathy and I reached a certain age, we were allowed to walk home. It was exciting and a bit scary all at the same time. But that moment we reached the narrow gate, I simply lifted the latch and we were safe behind the security of that old fence that separated the front yard from the rest of the world. Of course as we got older my sister and I became a little less tolerant of each other and often we would fight to see who would get through that narrow gate first. One thing we both learned for sure, if we arrived nearly simultaneously and tried to squeeze through together, it was just impossible. Someone had to enter the narrow gate first and someone had to be last. Of course a few feet away was a huge wide double gate, wide enough for cars to pass through. Never mind that; we always entered through the narrow gate.
This Gospel today also reminded me that sometimes it’s not so much the narrowness of the gate that makes things challenging; it can be what we try to get through that gate. I recall with some humor that scene from the movie, The Christmas Story, where Ralphie’s little brother is so bundled and layered in winter clothes that the poor child could hardly move, let alone squeeze through the neighborhood fence.
As people of faith, do we prepare to enter through the narrow gate; the gate that leads directly to Jesus? And if we do, are we so bundled up; so heavily burdened with so many possessions that we struggle to get through the gate? And if we struggle are we prepared to persevere to reach Jesus?
St. Luke addresses several concerns in today’s Gospel. How many will be saved? Who will be saved? What path must be followed to be saved? Jesus is clear in his answers: enter through the narrow gate, be strong, some are last who will be first and some are first who will be last.
Jesus teaches us in this Gospel passage that simply following Him or being a good guy or gal alone is not enough to be saved. The path through the narrow gate is the path of using our free will to freely choose to follow Him and to rely, with total surrender, on the gift of divine grace.
We should remember that Jesus is still on the road back to Jerusalem and that eventual moment when he surrenders all on the Cross. This is His immediate destination. This is Jerusalem. But Jerusalem leads to a greater destination. This is the Resurrection and the new and eternal life Jesus opens for those who choose to follow. This is the New Jerusalem.
As Jesus is faithful in His mission, His journey shows us the way we must go; He shows us the path to eternal life. And sometimes, maybe many times, it’s a very rocky road and a very narrow gate. It is a path that all are invited to walk but only those who choose to be disciples will truly follow. The rocky road and the narrow gate demand of us a life of faith, of deep personal prayer and participating fully in the liturgy. It takes discipline; the type of discipline spoken of in today’s second reading. We must walk to Jerusalem and pass through that narrow gate to arrive at the New Jerusalem of eternal happiness.
Now a word for us who faithfully fulfill our obligation to participate in the liturgy; this is a very good thing, but is it enough? The Gospel calls us to live the paschal mystery daily and take up our cross, die to self, live for others and serve Christ through His Church. This means becoming least so Jesus is more and becoming last so Jesus is first. And by making Jesus first, we make our persecuted brothers and sisters first too.
Our challenge this Sunday is to ask ourselves:
What more can I do to bring others to His friendship? Along the path have we given up on a relative or friend who needs to seek the narrow gate?
What can I do to deepen my friendship; my relationship with Him? Is Jesus the center of my life? When I approach that narrow gate, am I so burdened with possessions and stuff that I simply cannot fit through that gate? Help me to shed those things that burden me from reaching You!
And why do I put off or think it weak to look forward to Heaven? Is it simply because I want to live life my way; to do my own thing while here on earth? Help me to make this life a faithful preparation for that eternal life you have prepared for me, on the other side of that narrow gate.
You know that same narrow gate sits in front of my grandma’s now old and decaying home. Entering through that gate brought a peace and security I can’t describe. Perhaps because on that side of the fence, in that home I knew I was loved. And I learned over time to step aside and let my sister pass through first instead of wasting all that time trying to squeeze through. How much more peace, how much more security and how much more love will await us all when we reach our true home and enter through the narrow gate!
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