Trust, yes; frivolity, no (Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time. Cycle C)

Modern society keeps imposing, more strongly each time, a lifestyle that is characterized by the pragmatism of the immediate.  Hardly important are life’s great questions.  We no longer have firm certainties or deep convictions.  Little by little, we are becoming trivial, lacking both inner consistency and ideals that can prod us towards a daily life beyond the comfort and security of the moment. It is very significant to note the attitude, generally speaking, of not a few Christians toward the question of “eternal salvation” that only a few years ago was of so much concern:  many have quickly and readily erased it from their consciousness; some—it is not known exactly why so—feel entitled to an “ultimate happiness”; others do not want to remember religious experiences that have done them much harm. In today’s gospel account, a stranger asks a question that is frequent in that religious society:  “Will only a few be saved?”  Jesus does not answer the question directly.  He has no interest in sterile questions such as this, so loved by some teachers of the epoch.  He goes directly to the essential and decisive point:  how should we behave lest we be excluded from the salvation God offers to all? “Strive to enter through the narrow gate.”  These are his first words.  God opens to all of us the gate to eternal life, but we have to exert effort and work in order to enter through it.  This is the healthy attitude.  Trust in God, yes; frivolity, lack of concern and false securities, no. Jesus insists, above all, that we not fool ourselves with false securities.  It is not enough to belong to the people of Israel; knowing Jesus in person along the roads in Galilee does not suffice. What is decisive is to enter, starting now, God’s kingdom and justice. As a matter of fact, those who are left outside and banned from the final banquet are, literally, “those who practice injustice.” Jesus’ invitation is an invitation to trust and responsibility. Israel’s patriarchs and prophets  will not be the only ones reclining at table at the banquet in the kingdom of God. Pagans, coming from all the corners of the world, will be there also. Whether one is inside or outside depends on how one responds to God’s offer of universal salvation. Jesus ends with a proverb that summarizes his message. In reference to the kingdom of God, “some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”  His warning is clear.  Some who feel sure of being admitted may well remain outside. Others who are anticipated to be excluded can end up inside. The big question with which we could initiate our conversation this morning with Jesus is whether we are really trying our best to enter through the Angost door, or if we are sitting comfortably watching life go by • AE