HOMILY SUNDAY 21-C
Living in the Kingdom
(Isaiah 66:18-21; Psalm 117; Hebrews 12:5-7, 11-13; Lk 13:22-30)
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A nervous reader one Sunday ended her reading with the words, “This is the end of the world,” to which the congregation dutifully replied, “Thanks be to God.”
“Lord, will only a few be saved?” is a question posed to Jesus in the gospel. What do you think is the answer to that question?
Actually, that is a question that need not even be asked. We are not meant to be fretting about getting into heaven. All we have to do is learn to live in the Kingdom of God here and now.
The concern expressed in the Gospel about how many will be saved caused anxiety for many people at the time of Jesus. Jesus turned the question around to how to be saved, by entering the narrow gate.
The wide way looks attractive, more fun, filled with power and prestige, but disappoints in the end and leads to misery, addiction and death. The narrow way looks difficult, is very humble, and may involve some suffering, but it leads to peace, joy and fulfilment. The narrow way is the way of faith, the way of love for God, others and one’s self.
Jesus wants a mature faith relationship with him, not speculating on how many would be saved or when the end of time would be. Jesus invites us to live in such a way that we don’t have to worry about those questions; to live in a way that he knows us because we are recognizing him in one another.
The readings today remind us that to live in the kingdom of God is to declare God’s glory to the nations; to proclaim the Good News to all the world; to accept some discipline from God that produces peace and right living, and that humble faith and right living is the key to the kingdom of God.
Sr. Maria Skopsova was an Orthodox Russian nun who underwent great suffering in Paris after the revolution in Russia. She went through the suffering of WWI; starvation; financial collapse; Hitler and Nazism. She lost all the splendor of the Russian church – all was gone. Finally, she was arrested and sent to Ravensburg prison camp where she was able to smuggle out a letter that told of resurrection. In the midst of utter degradation, she learned that the real spiritual power is the Word, the Sacraments and the teaching of the Church Fathers or Patristics. Those who had a little dry bread in the camp would share what they had with those whom they saw as worse off than them. There was sharing and compassion. In her letter she wrote that even in the prison camp they could see the signs of the Kingdom of God coming.
Mother Theresa of Calcutta had it right in her advice to her sisters: What you would want to do for Jesus, whom you cannot see, do to your neighbour in need, whom you can see, and you will be doing it to Jesus. She truly lived that teaching herself in caring for the abandoned and the dying in the streets of Calcutta.
The Eucharist makes present the love Jesus has for us; heals us and empowers us to go out and love one another as he has loved us.
So, don’t worry about how many will get into heaven; just decide to live in heaven, the kingdom of God, right here and now, by loving others as Jesus has loved us.
