Wednesday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time
Today's Mass Readings
Today’s gospel reading from Luke is difficult to understand and perhaps even more difficult to accept. For example, why would the Lord say to anybody, “I do not know where you are from.Depart from me, all you evildoers!” (Lk 13:27). And again, why the rejection when the people claim that they ate and drank with the Lord? I guess there are questions behind these questions. Will be one of those who are rejected? What can we do to ensure that we will be in communion with God for eternity? The last thing Jesus means to do is create fear in us or to keep us perpetually on edge. If we do understand the context of this reading is the Sermon on the Plain (Sermon on the Mount in Matthew), then we are able to better understand the reading. These sayings of Jesus are meant for those who voluntarily choose Jesus as the Master. In other words, they are meant for those who follow Jesus closely as disciples. The “narrow way” mentioned a few verses earlier in 13:24, is in fact the demands of discipleship that Jesus lays out in the Sermon. In other words, Jesus is suggesting to his disciples that discipleship is not easy. One cannot merely offer lip service (say “Lord, Lord…”) and claim discipleship.
The latter part of the reading, “there will be wailing and grinding of teeth” is meant to suggest that even though discipleship is tough, it is nothing in comparison to not being a disciple (13:28). Rejecting the call to discipleship or pretending to be a disciple can be compared to those who in “regret” wail and grind their teeth.
The bottom line for us, then, comes down to these questions: Who is a disciple? How can I be sure that I am on the narrow path? How can I make sure that I am not rejected by God? How can I ensure eternal communion with God? The answer is also found in today’s first reading – “doing the will of God from the heart” (Eph 6:6). Whether as children, parents, slaves, free, man, woman – a disciples must constantly care to live in the will of God. Those who live by the will of God first are the first in the Kingdom (Lk 13:30). Those who care to do live first by one’s own will, especially if it is contrary to God’s will be last in the Kingdom. For example, it is God’s will that our primary motive should be to love God above all things. But sometimes we discover that there are things/people that compete with God in our lives. Or again, it is God’s will that we forgive those who sin against us (the Our Father) and yet sometimes it is easy to hold a grudge.
Today, let us pray for the grace of discipleship. Let us pray that we can find the courage to God God’s will and thus find ourselves in communion with God for eternity.
- Fr. Satish Joseph