The Narrow Door
22 He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem.
23 And some one said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them,
24 “Strive to enter by the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 2
25 When once the householder has risen up and shut the door, you will begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us.’ He will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’
26 Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’
27 But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from; depart from me, all you workers of iniquity!’ 28 There you will weep and gnash your teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and you yourselves thrust out.
29 And men will come from east and west, and from north and south, and sit at table in the kingdom of God. 30 And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.” - Luke 13
As Father noted at Mass this morning - and as I've often pointed out - a person may be baptized, may have received Frist Communion, may have been married in the Church, maybe even shows up to Mass at Christmas and Easter, but unless one gets to Mass each week (with exceptions for valid causes), repents sins and gets to Confession regularly, prays daily, seeks ways to grow spiritually, and lives out his/her faith in daily life and in work, that person will end up outside the door of Heaven, weeping and gnashing teeth.
Faith should not be an occasional Sunday morning activity; faith should be the center of all we do and say. It requires effort, even sacrifice.
Faith requires us to be more than just "nice."
Pax et bonum
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