Friends,
our Gospel for today features a question that people have been asking
from time immemorial and that they still ask today: "Lord, will only a
few people be saved?" Heaven, hell, salvation, damnation, who will be in
and who will be out? We have remained fascinated with these questions
for a long time.
Here’s
how I would recommend we approach this issue. The doctrine concerning
hell is a corollary of two more fundamental truths—namely, that God is
love and that we are free. Love (willing the good of the other) is all
that God is. He doesn’t go in and out of love; he doesn’t change his
mind; he’s not loving to some and not to others. He is indeed like the
sun that shines on the good and bad alike, in the words of Jesus.
No
act of ours can possibly make him stop loving us. In this regard, he is
like the best of parents. However, we are free. We are not God’s
marionettes, and hence we can say yes or we can say no to his love. If
we turn toward it, we open like a sunflower; if we turn from it, we get
burned.
Wednesday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 481
Brothers and sisters:
The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness;
for we do not know how to pray as we ought,
but the Spirit himself intercedes with inexpressible groanings.
And the one who searches hearts
knows what is the intention of the Spirit,
because he intercedes for the holy ones
according to God's will.
We know that all things work for good for those who love God,
who are called according to his purpose.
For those he foreknew he also predestined
to be conformed to the image of his Son,
so that he might be the firstborn
among many brothers.
And those he predestined he also called;
and those he called he also justified;
and those he justified he also glorified.
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."
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