The Narrow Door

The Narrow Door

Lk 13: 22 – 30

21^st Sunday in Ordinary Time

Introduction

In today’s reading, we hear Jesus exhorting us to enter through the narrow door. The narrow door for Jesus, seems to be the only way through life eternal. Many who fail to pass through it miss out the chance of an everlasting banquet in God’s kingdom.

The Gospel

²² Jesus went through one town and village after another, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. ²³ Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few be saved?” He said to them, ²⁴ “Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able. ²⁵ When once the owner of the house has got up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then in reply he will say to you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ ²⁶ Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ ²⁷ But he will say, ‘I do not know where you come from; go away from me, all you evildoers!’ ²⁸ There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrown out. ²⁹ Then people will come from east and west, from north and south, and will eat in the kingdom of God. ³⁰ Indeed, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”
Reflection

Our reading today somehow answers a question which was raised by one of Jesus’ followers who said: “ Lord, will only a few be saved?” Jesus’ answer was quite straightforward when he replied: “Strive to enter through the narrow door.” The imagery of a narrow door tells us several things:

Firstly, the image of a door tells us that we are entering into another space. In this case, it is a door that leads to another space which we call eternal life.

 Secondly, the door is not an ordinary door. It is a narrow door. This means that in order to get to the other side of this door, one has to experience some difficulties and struggles to get through it. It is not a door where one could simply walk through and get in. It is a narrow door.

Thirdly, there seems to be a definite time period for this door to remain open. It is not open forever. Apparently, it can be closed and shut down from inside and not from outside. Jesus says something about this in the parable, saying: “ When once the owner of the house has got up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us…’  The time period for which this door is open depends on the one who controls it from the inside. Apparently, the one who has control of the door allows us to enter the door for as long as it remains open. Once it is closed, there seems to be no way it is ever going to open again. Similarly, we have all the time to enter through the narrow door for as long as we are alive. Once we’re dead and find ourselves still outside of it, there is no way it is going to open for us.

Fourthly, while the door may look forbidding, it seems to be the only gateway leading to a happy banquet in God’s kingdom. Indeed, people who succeed in entering this narrow door will be eating together with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and all the prophets, and yes, with all those coming from all the corners of the earth who have all struggled to enter it.

The message of this gospel is quite clear: the kingdom of God is won by those who struggle and persevere through life’s difficulties. The narrow door represents all the trials and tribulations, the pain and the sacrifices, the self-denial and self-control, yes everything that seems difficult and daunting. Life indeed is beautiful but life also is hard. And when we want to embrace life, we must also learn how to embrace suffering and use that suffering in order to enter life eternal.

Embracing suffering has been the way of Jesus. He did not shy away from any difficulty or suffering. Instead, he embraced suffering as an act of obedience to the Father whose will was for all of us to be saved through the sufferings and death of his son, Jesus. In embracing the sufferings of our life, we are never alone in facing them. Jesus has always carried his cross with us. He is with us, even as we suffer and go through the darkest valleys of our life. This is why, even in suffering, we find the courage and consolation to take up our cross because we know we carry it always with him.

Let our prayer be not to evade or escape from suffering but to embrace it when life presents it to us. And let our prayer be also that God gives us the grace to persevere through difficult times, keeping our faith in him who gives us the strength to go on through our struggles in life.

Prayer

Lord, thank you for a life that is beautiful. But thank you also for the trials and tribulations that come with it. I simply cannot escape the difficulties of life. I cannot simply escape from my struggles; otherwise, I will simply be living in a fantasy world, where there are no problems, no worries and pain. Be with me Lord as I carry my cross in following you. Help me go through the narrow door where you await me. Amen. 

“This is a trustworthy saying: If we died with Him, we will also live with Him; if we endure, we will also reign with Him.”  - 2 Tim 2: 11 - 12