From: Luke 13:22-30
The Narrow Gate
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Commentary:
23-24. Everyone is called to form part of the Kingdom of God, for he “desires all
men to be saved” (1 Tim 2:4). “Those who, through no fault of their own, do not
know the Gospel of Christ or his Church, but who nevertheless seek God with
a sincere heart and, moved by grace, try in their actions to do his will as they
know it through the dictates of their conscience: those too may achieve eternal
salvation. Nor shall divine providence deny the assistance necessary for salva-
tion to those who, without any fault of theirs, have not yet arrived at an explicit
knowledge of God, and who, not without grace, strive to lead a good life. What-
ever good or truth is found among them is considered by the Church to be a pre-
paration for the Gospel and given by him who enlightens all men that they may
at length have life” (Vatican II, “Lumen Gentium”, 16).
Certainly, only those who make a serious effort can reach the goal of salvation
(cf. Lk 16:16; Mt 11:12). Our Lord tells us so by using the simile of the narrow
gate. “A Christian’s struggle must be unceasing, for interior life consists in begin-
ning and beginning again. This prevents us from proudly thinking that we are per-
fect already. It is inevitable that we should meet difficulties on our way. If we did
not come up against obstacles, we would not be creatures of flesh and blood.
We will always have passions that pull us downwards; we will always have to
defend ourselves against more or less self-defeating urges” (St. J. Escriva,
“Christ Is Passing By”, 75).
25-28. As at other times, Jesus describes eternal life by using the example of a
banquet (cf., e.g., Lk 12:35ff; 14:15). Knowing the Lord and listening to his prea-
ching is not enough for getting to heaven; what God judges is how we respond
to the grace he gives us: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter
the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven”
(Mt 7:21).
29-30. Generally speaking, the Jewish people regarded themselves as the sole
beneficiaries of the messianic promises made by the prophets; but Jesus pro-
claims that salvation is open to everyone. The only condition he lays down is that
men freely respond to God’s merciful call. When Christ died on the cross the veil
of the temple was torn in two (Lk 23:45 and par.), a sign of the end of the distinc-
tion between Jews and Gentiles. St Paul teaches: “For he [Christ] is our peace,
who has made us both one, and has broken down the dividing wall [...] that he
might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and
might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby bringing
the hostility to an end” (Eph 2:14-16). Therefore, “all men are called to belong to
the new people of God. This people therefore, whilst remaining one and only one,
is to be spread throughout the whole world and to all ages in order that the de-
sign of God’s will may be fulfilled: he made human nature one in the beginning
and has decreed that all his children who were scattered should be finally ga-
thered together as one” (Vatican II, “Lumen Gentium”, 13).
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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.
First reading | Ephesians 6:1-9 © |
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Psalm | Psalm 144:10-14 © |
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Gospel Acclamation | Jn14:6 |
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Or | cf.2Th2:14 |
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Gospel | Luke 13:22-30 © |
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