Luke 13,22-30

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 13,22-30. 

Jesus passed through towns and villages, teaching as he went and making his way to Jerusalem.
Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few people be saved?” He answered them,
Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough.
After the master of the house has arisen and locked the door, then will you stand outside knocking and saying, ‘Lord, open the door for us.’ He will say to you in reply, ‘I do not know where you are from.’
And you will say, ‘We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets.’
Then he will say to you, ‘I do not know where (you) are from. Depart from me, all you evildoers!’
And there will be wailing and grinding of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and you yourselves cast out.
And people will come from the east and the west and from the north and the south and will recline at table in the kingdom of God.
For behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”

Peace to all my brothers and sisters listening in today

Do, Desire, Deeply

1. Do. How many will be saved? This question itself seems to reveal alot about the person who asks it as he seems to be very concentrated on numbers or just too curious about others rather than being worried about himself: asking how will I be saved? After all, what does it matter who gets there and who doesn’t get there, if I don’t.
   It also seems to reveal a certain superficiality, that is a concentration on the rules and regulations or requirements of what we need to do in order to get us into heaven. Christianity however is about a person, Jesus Christ and knowing him whose unconditional love for us saves us, not just following a bunch of rules mechanically.
   Based on Jesus’ response, however, the question more than anything suggests the man is really asking how hard do I have to try to get into heaven- because it seems everyone gets in, anyway. Jesus answers with a story.
   
2. Desire. Instead of defining the requirements or giving an exact number of how many people are in heaven, Jesus tells a story of which tries to teach us its not just doing but desiring. He says the master of the house asks where are you coming from? This is not a geographical question but rather gets at the heart of the matter literally and figuratively and asks more deeply, what is your intention. What is your desire? This question is about our heart- our authenticity integrity and desire. This clearly teaches us it is not enough to just eat and drink with Jesus or even teach his doctrine in order to get into heaven. That means it’s not just enough to just go to mass and receive communion or even speak about God that is facts or information about him. We have to strive to really want to know him.
   
3. Deeply. There is a joke about a theologian who is walking down a corridor and sees two doors one with the sign that says heaven and the other a lecture about heaven. After pausing a moment, he goes into that one marked a lecture about heaven.
   
   We must truly know Jesus deeply and personally that is knowing his heart and his love and it will show in our actions because we will want to live his doctrine. If we really know him, and not just about him we will love him and want to put our faith into practice by loving others and doing his will. The question is do I really want to know him? Saint Jerome tells us that ignorance of scripture is ignorance of Jesus. If I really want to love him and know him we need only begin by reading scripture and then putting it into practice.
   Today Lets strive to know Christ and his love.
   
   MAY God bless you in the name of the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit
   Amen . Always remember Heaven is our goal.

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