PRAYER OF THE WEEK
Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time

O God, who cause the minds of the faithful
to unite in a single purpose,
grant your people to love what you command
and to desire what you promise,
that, amid the uncertainties of this world,
our hearts may be fixed on that place
where true gladness is found.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.

FATHER ANTHONY’S WRITING THIS WEEK:

Luke 13:22-30: How Many Will be Saved?

I cannot state with certainty, but I believe that there are certain Catholic churches in Belgium with very narrow crucifixes. That was obviously due to the “Jansenist” influence in the 17th and 18th centuries. Cornelius Jansen (d. 1638) was professor of theology at the old University of Louvain (my alma mater), and also bishop of Ypres in Belgium. His approach to religion was certainly rigorous. The movement named after him, Jansenism, was eventually condemned by the Church as heretical. The narrow outstretched arms of Jesus on one of these crucifixes would be symbolic of the “narrow gate” mentioned in this Sunday’s Gospel reading (Luke 13). For the Jansenists, the way to salvation was indeed narrow and reserved for only a select few.

On his way to Jerusalem, in the course of his public ministry, some people ask Jesus: “Lord will only a few people be saved?” According to biblical scholars, the question stems from the popular belief among Palestinian Jews that all Israelites would have a share in the world to come. For us Christian believers, that is not an invalid question. In fact, that should be the main question to raise. So how many people will be saved? I believe that in our Christian traditions, especially following St. Augustine (4th-5th centuries) and later medieval theology, the answer is that MOST people would NOT be saved… The Lord’s answer in St. Luke’s Gospel suggests that he does not worry much about “numbers,” as he says: “Strive to enter the narrow gate.” As I reflect on this very important statement, I remember having listened to a homily by Bishop (then, Father) Robert Barron. Barron uses the analogy of a fitness instructor. If you were to ask a fitness instructor: “How many people will be fit;” a good instructor would not give a percentage. Rather, his/her answer would be similar to what Jesus proposes: “If you want to be fit: go to the gym, work out, eat well, and get involved with all the fitness grind.”

The answer that Jesus gives would be typical of any important religious leader’s or master’s response. In no religious tradition—whether Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Christian, etc.—is one advised to take the easy way, or to enter the “wide gate.” Even in martial arts movies, we can see that no teacher would advise his disciples to take it easy. There is always some “narrow gate” involved… In the context of St. Luke’s Gospel, this is one more of Jesus’ difficult sayings: a typical example of which would be, “unless you hate your father and mother, you cannot be my disciples” (Luke 14:26). These statements from the Lord remind us that there is real cost to be his disciples. The call to discipleship is not just superficial, but does require a real commitment!

So again, how many people will be saved? I wish I know the answer to that important question! But what about you and me? Can we be saved? We have to believe that God does indeed offer his grace and salvation to all of us. In line with Jesus, St. Paul tells us to work for our salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:13). And yet at the same time, I always say that God does not require what is impossible for his people. God makes us and knows our limitations, even better than we ourselves know them. The important thing is for us to try our best to follow the Lord… Then we can be certain that we are on the right track toward salvation and peace!