The narrow gate

In the person of Christ, God became man to be one among us, so that we, too, could be like Him, and be one with Him. But to be like Him and be one with Him is not only a unique privilege. It is likewise the most challenging responsibility for us all. This is the meaning of today’s Gospel reading from Lk. 13: 22-30. “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough” (v. 24).

The human Christ is not asking us to do what is inhuman, but what is most human. Moreover, He is not asking us to do anything that He Himself did not do. In other words, He Himself went through the narrow gate, and so must we. Otherwise, we will not reach where He is inviting us to go, where He Himself is now.

This narrow gate is the fullness of LOVE, the one and only law of the Lord. “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself” (Lk. 10: 27). All human laws are to be based on this.

But before you can be really motivated to love God in this way, you must first allow yourself to feel and experience being loved by God. For this to happen, you have to be a truly prayerful person in a contemplative way. This contemplative way of praying is not simply reading about God, reflecting about God, or talking about God. It is rather an inner, heartfelt AWARENESS of God’s PRESENCE, loving you as you are, here and now. His real spiritual presence within you, as you breathe in and out the breath of life. Where the breath of life is, there God’s presence is, for He is the very source and creator of life. To experience this, you have to place yourself in total silence, stillness, and solitude. Inner and outer silence, in total aloneness and oneness with God. You can then listen to Him in the quiet of your heart.

“I love you as you are, with all your lovable qualities and personal strengths that I gifted you with. I created you as unique. You are the only one of your kind in the whole, wide world. Absolutely no one else is exactly like you. This is how special you are to me. I am not a God who is up, up there like a divine policeman who is watching you down, down here, if you will commit sin or not. I am your constant companion, wherever you go, whatever you are doing, at every hour of day and night. For as long as you constantly choose to be with Me as your number one priority in life from day to day, you will have absolutely no fears and anxieties. Instead, you will feel most confident and courageous in loving as I do, and this involves entering the narrow gate.”

It is in this situation of being God’s beloved that you will then be motivated to love Him in return. With a heart full of gratitude, awe, and wonderment, you will love God as your first and last priority in your daily life. God will then lead you to reach out and love your neighbor as you love yourself, passing through the narrow gate.

A realistic and doable way of describing this narrow gate is through “the demanding way of limitless love, unconditional forgiveness, selfless sacrifice…” (From Connections for August 2010). Let us try to understand this from our own knowledge and experience.

Limitless Love. There is a saying that real love is to love until it hurts. This was how Christ loved, all the way to His crucifixion and death. This was his narrow gate. What about yours and mine? Each one of us being unique, it then follows that each one has his/her own narrow gate in relation to his/her state of life, personal and social relationships, and one’s time, talents, and treasures. In the concrete, what does it mean for a rich man from Forbes Park to love his poor neighbors in the slum areas? Apply the question to your own self.

Unconditional Forgiveness. This part of our narrow gate is most difficult indeed, especially as we go back to the life and teaching of Christ Himself: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you….Do to others as you would have them do to you…(Lk. 6: 27-28, 31). And Christ’s last words just before He passed away: “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do” (Lk. 23: 34). Need we say more?

Selfless Sacrifice. A giving of one’s self for the sake of others. Apply this all the way and we then understand the meaning of today’s First Reading: “I come to gather nations of every language…” (Is. 66: 18). All peoples of the world are part of God’s family. They are all equal in God’s eyes, and He loves them all dearly. Let us never stop working for this. Indeed, this is the narrow gate that will lead to the widest kingdom where all peoples will be one, with their one and only Creator.