Daily Reflections ...

In today’s Gospel Jesus responds to the question posed by a villager on his way to Jerusalem as to who will be saved. Jesus’ answer is, ‘Strive to enter through the narrow door.’  

What then is this ‘narrow door’ that provides entry into the Kingdom. Who is in and who is out ? Jesus tells us that some will be turned away because ‘I do not know where you come from’ (Luke 13:27) while other people ‘will come from east and west, from north and south and will eat in the kingdom of God’ (Luke 13:29). 

While the Kingdom is open to all, we must choose to be leavened, salted and lit by choosing forgiveness, repentance, compassion, justice, mercy and love that open our hearts to the healing and saving power of God.  This is the ‘narrow door’ that Jesus speaks of: a willingness to acknowledge our need for God and our willingness to help others in need.  

So often we choose our ways, our wants, and our comfort over the real needs of others and relegate God to the back seat of our lives. Arrogance, hypocrisy, legalism, and self-satisfaction harden our hearts and close the door of salvation, because we convince ourselves that we are better than others and not in need of God’s grace and mercy. 

Today our salvation is in our hands, will we choose the narrow door that leads to the joy of the eternal banquet? 

by Mike Humphrys