Enter Through The Narrow Gate

"Enter through the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the road, that leads to destruction, and many go that way.  How narrow is the gate that leads to life; and how rough, the road; few there are, who find it." - Matthew 7:13-14 

(Maybe someone was asking JESUS: Who, then, can be saved?"  [Matthew 19:25].  In no instance did JESUS say whether those who would share in eternal life would be many or few.  HE did say many times that very few would be chosen from among the many called.  That means that among the many people privileged to meet HIM, very few would experience the Gospel's riches and bring forth fruit in themselves and for others.  The chosen or approved are those who persevere and strive for perfect freedom.

For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many go that way.  They stray from leading a life in which JESUS is everything for them.  They waste the gifts of GOD entrusted to them and apparently become useless for the kingdom.  Yet, even so, they are not deprived of GOD's mercy.)

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Don't Be A Judge

"Do not judge; and you will not be judged.  In the same way you judge others, you will be judged; and the measure you use for others will be used for you.  Why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, and not see the plank in your own eye?  How can you say to your brother, 'Come, let me take the speck from your eye,' as long as that plank is in your own?  Hypocrite, remove the plank out of your own eye; then, you will see clearly, to remove the speck out of your brother's eye." - Matthew 7:1-5 

(No doubt when JESUS spoke these words it was with the same meaning as in 5:43.  Usually those who consider themselves as good, or belonging to the group of the converted, judge and criticize those of a different standing.  It is a form of pride that spiritual authors call the "fault of beginners."  So strongly inscribed is it in human nature that many among the "just" of the Scriptures have expressed their disapproval of the "sinner" who did not observe the Law of GOD.  Contrariwise the new law tells us not to consider ourselves superior or be judges of those who take a different road, or who are led by GOD to do so.  Do not judge.  We must exercise good judgment  in order to distinguish between the good and evil around us.  Though it is a factor of success never to displease anyone, we must have the courage to tell others the wrong that they do.  Here "to judge" means to condemn.

When we look at our own lives, we realize that those who helped us grow were those who supported and understood us, not those who judged and condemned us.  [See Romans2:1; 14:4; 1 Corinthians 5:12; James 4:11].)

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I Am Not What You Think I Am, For, After Me, Another One Is Coming, Whose Sandal I Am Not Worthy To Untie

"After that time, GOD removed him and raised up David as king, to whom HE bore witness saying: I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after MY own heart, who will do all I want him to do.

It is from the descendants of David that GOD has now raised up the promised Savior of Israel, JESUS.  Before HE appeared, John proclaimed a baptism of repentance for all the people of Israel.  As John was ending his life's work, he said: 'I am not what you think I am, for, after me, another one is coming, whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.'

Brothers, children and descendants of Abraham, and you, also, who fear GOD, it is to you that this message of salvation has been sent." - Acts 13:22-26

(The mission of John the Baptist.)

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Set Your Heart On The Kingdom

"No one can serve two masters; for he will either hate one and love the other; or he will be loyal to the first and look down on the second.  You cannot, at the same time, serve GOD and money.

Therefore, I tell you, not to be worried about food and drink for yourself, or about clothes for your body.  Is not life more important than food; and is not the body more important than clothes?  Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow, they do not harvest, and do not store food in barns; and yet, your heavenly FATHER feeds them.  Are you not less worthy than they are?

Can any of you add a day to your life by worrying about it?  Why are you so worried about your clothes?  Look at how the flowers in the fields grow.  They do not toil or spin.  But I tell you, that not even Solomon, in all his glory, was clothed like one of these.  If GOD so clothes the grass in the field, which blooms today and is to be burned in an oven tomorrow, how much more will HE clothe you?  What little faith you have!

Do not worry, and say: What are we going to eat?  What are we going to drink?  or: What shall we wear?  The pagans busy themselves with such things; but your heavenly FATHER knows that you need them all.  Set your heart, first, on the kingdom and righteousness of GOD; and all these things will also be given to you.  Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own." - Matthew 6:24-34 

(No one can serve two masters.  Scripture had already taught that we must choose between GOD and false gods.  JESUS affirms that money is a false god, because it offers happiness and security for the future, but robs us of our only riches, that is, the present time.  Caught up in making money, we are unable to live truly and freely; we neglect our personal growth and family life, keep silent before evil and lie.  We ignore our neighbor and grovel before the powerful.

Why are you so worried?  The comparison with the flowers and the birds does not mean that we can fold our arms and be idle, because when GOD gave us arms and brains, it was for us to use them.  Rather JESUS teaches that, if GOD takes care of and beautifies the smallest of creatures, how much more will HE care for us that our lives may be beautiful and perfect.

Set your heart first on the kingdom.  It is a matter of concrete realities: the kingdom means the transparency of GOD in our life; HIS justice is a "putting in order" under HIS attention of all that we are and all that we do.  A risk to run for a young person, or a couple: to begin to think of the future, family and apostolic activity according to the criteria of the Gospel, no longer under pressure of Malthusian fear or the race to maintain their life-style.)

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Store Up Treasures For Yourself With GOD

"Do not store up treasures for yourself here, on earth, where moth and rust destroy it; and where thieves can steal it.  Store up treasures for yourself with GOD, where no moth or rust can destroy it, nor thief come and steal it.

For where your treasures is, there, also, will your heart be.

The lamp of the body is the eye; if your eyes are sound, your whole body will be full of light.  If your eyes are diseased, your whole body will be full of darkness.  If, then, the light in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!" - Matthew 6:19-23 

(The Gospel says: "Do not treasure treasures," treasures meaning those savings held in reserve rather than something that is loved.  For centuries the majority of human beings rarely had personal reserves: the family or the clan took charge of the reserve in times of adversity.  Today each one is in charge of his own resources; it is perhaps better, but how do we escape the obsession of a secure future?  Once more JESUS invites us to believe in the Providence of the FATHER: if we have HIS interests at heart, HE will look after ours.

Store up treasures for yourself with GOD.  The Gospel says "in Heaven," and we know that Heaven is one of the names of GOD.

There also will your heart be.  [In the Jewish culture the heart is where judgments and decisions are made].  I do not possess but they possess me and by degrees impose on me a certain life-style. 

It is this certitude that motivates any effort made towards "evangelical poverty."  It is a question of being as free as possible for action and for love.  JESUS calls us to disinterested action and at the same time warns us against inordinate attachment to persons, to ideas and possessions: we are to be ready for anything but must never get attached to the fruits of action.

Here eye is the conscience.  To be bright-eyed signifies generosity, to be dark-eyed signifies meanness.  JESUS emphasizes what HE has just said: a misinformed conscience leads us astray and turns us in on ourselves.)

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There Is Good Seed And There Are Weeds, And Each One Goes Toward What He Prefers

"YAHWEH reigns; let the earth rejoice;

let the distant islands be glad.

Clouds and darkness surround HIM;

justice and right, are HIS throne.

Fire goes before HIM,

burning HIS foes on every side.

HIS lightning lights up the world;

the earth watches and trembles.

The mountains melt like wax

before YAHWEH, the LORD of all the earth.

The heavens proclaim HIS justice,

all peoples see HIS glory.

Shame on worshipers of idols,

on those proud of their worthless images.

Let all spirits bow before HIM."

- Psalm 97:1-7

(The glory, the magnificence, the splendor of GOD--this could strike us with terror so that we might cry out like St. Peter, 'Depart from us!'  But that glory is our light; we are even called to share that glory.  So for us, the majesty of GOD is not an object of terror, but a subject of exultation.

We often find it hard to share the enthusiasm and joy of the psalmist, who clearly sees the world divided between the good and wicked.  We rather see the world covered by a fog, where each of us has our own excuses and share of wickedness.  The confusion is temporary.  However, there is good seed and there are weeds, and each one goes toward what he prefers.  GOD hates evil, as much as HE loves HIMSELF, and what cannot return to GOD, should be destroyed.)

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Those Who Make A Show

"Be careful not to make a show of your good deeds before people.  If you do so, you do not gain anything from your FATHER in heaven.  When you give something to the poor, do not have it trumpeted before you, as do those who want to be noticed in the synagogues and in the streets, in order to be praised by people.  I assure you, they have their reward.

If you give something to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your gift remains really secret.  Your FATHER, who sees what is kept secret, will reward you.

When you pray, do not be like those who want to be noticed.  They love to stand and pray in the synagogues or on street corners, in order to be seen by everyone.  I assure you, they have their reward.  When you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your FATHER who is with you in secret; and your FATHER who sees what is kept secret will reward you." - Matthew 6:1-6 

(Matthew gives us three examples of another secret without which we shall not see GOD: work for HIM alone without wanting anyone to know, and in such a way that we ourselves will have immediately forgotten what we have done.

Those who make a show.  The expression appears three times with reference to good deeds, praying and fasting.  JESUS uses a word often translated as "being hypocrites," which refers in a general way to those who make a show, or who are shallow, and make fun of the things of GOD.

It is perhaps difficult not to want to be seen by others, but is far more difficult to do good without looking at oneself and being satisfied because: "I am good."  It is, nevertheless, the way of enabling us to enter into the secrets of GOD.)

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Love Your Enemies; And Pray For Those Who Persecute You

"You have heard, that it was said: Love your neighbor and do not do good to your enemy.  But this I tell you: love your enemies; and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your FATHER in Heaven.  For HE makes HIS sun rise on both the wicked and the good; and HE gives rain to both the just and the unjust.

If you love those who love you, what is special about that?  Do not even tax collectors do as much?  And if you are friendly only to your friends, what is so exceptional about that?  Do not even the pagans do as much?  As for you, be perfect, as your heavenly FATHER is perfect." - Matthew 5:43-48 

(Love your neighbor.  Here we come to the last of the opposites between the Old Law and the New.  The Old Testament spoke of loving a neighbor and this was a matter of solidarity among the members of the people of GOD.  With the Gospel the word "love" is not only given a wider dimension: it introduces us into a world totally different.  Solidarity within the group is supported by an instinct inscribed in nature.  This love however does not cross the frontiers that separate social groups: these only exist and find their identity in opposing others.

Do not do good to your enemy.  The text is not found in the Scriptures as it stands but its equivalent is in several places [Deuteronomy 7:2].  Referring to enemies of the nation rather than to personal enemies, we are asked to be wary of them, not to help them and even to exterminate them, rather than share their errors.  If in many countries today it is understood that there is no frontier for love, it must be recognized that this ideal is a fruit of the Gospel: JESUS has enlightened our minds by asking us to model the love of our neighbor on the universal love of GOD the FATHER.  We have only to open a newspaper to see that this love of neighbor, whatever it be, and even if it comes from a social, national or religious group, in enmity with ours, remains incomprehensible to the majority, even in Christian countries.  When we realize that there is a place for everyone in the present world and that GOD directs everything for the benefit of all, we see things as GOD does and are perfect as the FATHER is perfect.

Love your enemies: Mark 12:31; Luke 10:27; Romans 13:9; Galatians 5:14; Romans 12:20; Luke 23:34; Acts 7:60; Romans 12:14; Ephesians 5:1.)

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Do Not Oppose Evil With Evil

"You have heard, that it was said: An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.  But I tell you this: do not oppose evil with evil; if someone slaps you on your right cheek, turn and offer the other.  If someone sues you in the court for your shirt, give him your coat as well.  If someone forces you to go one mile, go two miles with him.  Give when asked, and do not turn your back on anyone who wants to borrow from you." - Matthew 5:38-42 

(An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.  We read this in the Scriptures because in the world of that time it was a wholesome maxim [Deuteronomy 19:18-21].  It claimed to put a limit to the thirst for vengeance and reminded judges and the community itself of the duty to defend its members against those who abuse the weak.

Do not oppose evil with evil.  JESUS asks us to approach an adversary in the same way as this adversary may be approaching us: who is the wicked one?

Offer the other cheek: be the first to be free of the web of violence.  As in judo, surprise the other by making the very move he was not expecting: he may then see that he was mistaken.  JESUS has no doubt that this renunciation of violence and of our own interests obliges the FATHER to intervene and come to our aid.  Do not forget that JESUS wants us to "see GOD" at work in our lives.

If someone forces you to go one mile.  JESUS speaks to farmers who are humiliated and oppressed by foreign armies.  Many times they are obliged to carry the burden of the soldiers.  Their usual reaction is resigned submission concealing hatred and desire for revenge.  Would they be capable of responding to such a counsel?  It is certain that had they practiced it, they might have saved their nation from destruction.)  

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CHRIST And The Church

"Thus says YAHWEH: 'At the top of the cedar, I will take one of its uppermost branches, a tender twig, and plant it.  On a lofty, massive mountain, on a high mountain of Israel I will plant it.  It will produce branches and bear fruit and become a magnificent cedar.  Birds of all kinds will nest in it and find shelter in its branches.  And all the trees of the field shall know that I AM YAHWEH; I, who bring down the lofty tree and make the lowly tree tall.  I will make the tree that is full of sap, wither, and the dry tree, bloom.  I, YAHWEH, have spoken and this will I do.'" - Ezekiel 17:22-24 

(The conclusion is that the line of kings descending from David are coming to an end.  Another descendant of David will be chosen by GOD HIMSELF to be the Messiah.  The verses refer to CHRIST and to the Church.) 

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