TODAY’S GOSPEL REFLECTION 21ST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR C, 25th AUGUST, 2013 THEME: UNIVERSALITY OF GOD’S SALVATION In the past, among the Jews, there was this believe that the Kingdom of God is solely for them. Thus, for them, those who were not Jews [foreigners] were not people of God, and as such they were sinners who do not deserve God’s mercy and there was no place for them in God’s Kingdom. As far as the Jews were concerned they were the only chosen ones [race] who would have a place with their ancestor Abraham, in the Kingdom of God, because of the promises God made to their ancestors; Abraham and his descendents, Isaac, Jacob and the twelve sons of Jacob at of which came the twelve tribes of Israel. One thing is every evident in the Readings of today that no group of people can claim the monopoly of God’s Kingdom or that the salvation of God is limited to a particular race. Through the Prophet Isaiah, in the FIRST READING, God declares: “I am coming to gather the nations of every language. They shall come to witness my glory” {Isaiah 66:18}. By those words, prophet Isaiah emphasizes the universality of God’s salvation. Namely, that God will unite all the nations and tongues, and they shall his glory. This universality of God’s salvation is what the Psalmist in the Responsorial Psalm of today’s Liturgy speaks of: GO OUT TO THE WHOLE WORLD; PROCLAIM THE GOOD NEWS. {Mark 16:15}. So, the Good News of the salvation and the Kingdom of God is to be announced to all irrespective of colour, race, language, nationality, religion and so on. This why the Psalm further says: “O praise the Lord, all you nations acclaim him all you peoples” {Psalm 117:1}. Similarly, in the Gospel Reading of today, someone asks Jesus: “Sir, will there be only a few saved?” {Luke 13:23}. Jesus’ response to the question shows that the God’s Kingdom is not meant for few or particular race, but for many from any part of the world. He says: “And people from east and west, from north and south will come to take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God” {Luke 13:29}. Even though God’s Kingdom is not restricted to few people or particular race, we must still work hard to attain it. As Paul says: “Work your salvation in fear and trembling {Philippians 2:12}. Thus, Jesus enjoins us today to strive for it. He says: “Strive to enter through the narrow door”. In other words, those who will be saved are those who are faithful to God’s word, especially to the “word that became flesh”. Jesus is indeed the door to eternal life. So, “no one can come to the Father except through him”. Furthermore, when Jesus was asked whether only few will be saved? Jesus did not answer the question directly because knowing the number of those to be saved is not important. What is important is that each of us strive for our salvation. Jesus advices: “Try your best to enter by the narrow door, because I tell you many will try to enter and will not succeed” {Luke 13:23}. This means that entry to the Kingdom of God cannot be automatic or descendant’s affiliation, but the result and the reward of a struggle. Jesus encourages us to follow the narrow gate that leads to life. This narrow gate that leads to eternal life demands struggle and it is not easy. The Lord says: “If any wants to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow” {Luke 9:23}. The narrow way is the way of renunciation, of repentance, of sacrifice. Again, salvation is open to all of us during our life here on earth. After death you cannot work for your salvation. That is why Jesus says: “Once the master of the house has got up and locked the door, you may find yourself knocking on the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us’, but he will answer, ‘I do not know where you come from’. It means that only a limited time is given to us to work out our salvation while we are still on this earth. Afterward, the doors will be closed. Therefore, brethren, now that we are alive this is the best time to strive for the Kingdom of God, otherwise, on judgement day, it will be too late to shout “Sir, open for us”.
Posted on: Sat, 24 Aug 2013 18:49:04 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015