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."
REFLECTION
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.
My actions towards God and His children are very much like a spoiled brat. The other day after communion, as I returned to my pew, I heard my one way conversation with God. “Dear Lord, help me with ….and the list went on and on. Always asking, begging, perhaps whining, but always wanting. I want …Please...
I should just talk with Jesus, one friend to another. No selfish reason to visit but purely because I want to love Him. I want to love Him more and enjoy being with Him. By contemplating and meditating my prayers with Him I am better able to discern His will so that I can spend eternity with Him. I can visit with Him in the poor, destitute, less fortunate as He lives in them.
In this election year, I am reminded of the politician you takes pics with you, sends notes to you and even answers your questions. But once elected, they don’t remember you, you can’t get close and letters written never get answered.
Do we use God and others, treating Him with disrespect, living one way, praying another and our actions taking a third path? Will we be remembered or will we hear, “I do not know where you are from. Depart from me all you evildoers!"
The beatitudes and the commandments are the road maps to Charity which is the road to heaven. It is hard to love God and not be humble. We are nothing so all pretenses need to be dropped, and not give way to sadness, displeasures but always thanking and praying for the good of others, happy to sacrifice ourselves for God. God will then know us as we are seen through His heart.
Read books written by saints and holy men and women. They show you the paths they took, let you in to their lives and journeys with humility and meekness of their hearts.
Blessed Carlo Acutis, St Francis de Sales, St John Paul II, St Padre Pio, Pope Benedict XVI, St Francis of Assisi are a few who can introduce you to unselfishness, humility and meekness. They will show you how they loved.
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