Tuesday of the 12th week in ordinary time
2 Kings 19: 9b-11.14-21.31-35a.36 Mathew 7: 6. 12-14
Theme: The narrow gate
In the gospel reading of today from St. Mathew, Jesus is admonishing us to do to others what we want done to us. Like it is said, this is the golden rule, and we must practice it in our lives. Interestingly, many of us do not go by this rule, but rather prefer to look the other way when it does not affect us directly or those who are close to us. Some of us are comfortable hurting others through our words and actions, yet we are not ready to take the same thing that we dish out to others. The words of Jesus in today’s gospel reading is an admonition and a reminder to all of us, about how we should live our lives as children of God, who desire to make heaven at the end of our earthly pilgrimage. If we all resolve today to make honest and sincere effort to begin to practice this golden rule in our lives, our world will become a better place for all of us.
The big challenge we have today is how many of us will be willing to walk that path that is walked by only a few? This question brings us to another point that Jesus raised in the gospel reading of today. Putting the golden rule into practice in our lives, is already a good way of embracing the narrow way that Jesus is talking about in today’s gospel reading. He made it very clear that if we desire to make heaven at the end of our earthly pilgrimage, then we must be ready to walk through the narrow path, not through the wide path that many people are going through now in our world. The narrow path will throw a lot of challenges at us, because our ways and choices will be different from what can be referred to as the norm which many people will embrace.
However, one thing that is very clear is the fact that it is not an easy path to follow, but it is the path that will lead us to eternal life at the end. The great men and women of our faith that we celebrate in the church all walked through that narrow path in different ways and at the different times. So, let this be a source of great strength to you, amidst the challenges and difficulties that you may encounter on your journey of faith. Just know that you are not alone, God will always come through for you when it matters most. As you do this, may almighty God bless you in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit, Amen. Peace be with you.