“STRIVE TO ENTER THROUGH THE NARROW GATE, FOR MANY, I TELL YOU, WILL ATTEMPT TO ENTER BUT WILL NOT BE STRONG ENOUGH.” LK 13:22-30

Humbly submit your will to God (Thy Will be done) and consecrate yourself to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through Mary and Joseph.

Jesus passed through towns and villages,
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.”  Lk 13:22-30

Jesus teaches us today that He is the narrow gate and that it will not be open forever.  He teaches us that it will take believing in the Gospel and having faith to enter the narrow gate. He speaks specifically to the Jews who were chosen and are rejecting Him and the Word. The Gentiles from all 4 corners of the world will enter before the Jews if they do not accept Him and His teachings.

The lesson we learn from this Scripture is that we must believe in the Gospel and have faith to enter heaven and that we should be thankful it is open for us.  Our effort cooperating with God’s grace equals holiness.  Holy equals happy.  Holy equals entering the narrow gate.  What do we need to do to be holy and enter heaven where there is no stain of sin? What is the Gospel message we are called to believe and have faith in?
1. Repent and be baptized in the water and the Spirit
2. Live out our baptismal vows each day: Reject Satan, grow in holiness, believe the doctrines of our faith-Creed
3. Avenues of holiness for us:
a) Sacraments, Catholic ER (Holy Sacrifice of the Mass/Eucharist and Reconciliation) It is the Year of the Eucharist, take some intentional prayer time to learn about the Mass and Eucharist this year.
b) Offer up our daily crosses: Jesus has fashioned ours perfectly for us, ask Him to help you carry it, Jesus gives suffering purpose we can offer it up through His suffering to grow in holiness and to pray for the salvation of souls, never let the power of the cross die-fight and persevere
c) Prayer/Adoration-develop a personal relationship with Christ, learn how much the Heavenly Father loves you as a child of God.
d) Works of Mercy: Jesus attaches these to judgment day, they start in the home, enter each room offering help, the Little Way
e) indulgences: Act of Contrition, Adoration, Sign of the Cross, offering up our suffering with Christ’s, Morning Offering, visiting a grave between Nov. 1-8, Novenas, rosary in a church or with a group, etc.
f) God chose Mary as the instrument to bring His only Son into the world, we must choose Mary as the instrument to get back to God.  Ask Mary’s intercession in all prayer.  Devote yourself to the rosary and consecrate yourself to Jesus through Mary. We also learned last year in this Year of St. Joseph to consecrate ourselves to his most chaste and just heart. He is our protector.

God has given us everything we need to be holy and enter the narrow gate.  He loves you more than you love yourself, He knows you better than you know yourself, He wants you to know His Will-Fr. Mike Schmitz.  Talk to Him.  Fight your fallen human nature, what the world has to offer and Satan.  Never give up. Enter heaven through Jesus and become a saint!  This is what He died for. Today, Jesus is asking you to make an eternal decision, choose wisely.

Today’s challenge: Reflect on recognizing God’s grace and His constant presence in your life.  Bring yourself into this presence and the avenues of grace He has blessed us with. Enter through the narrow gate each day by choosing holiness over sin creating virtue-good habits. Be vulnerable and give yourself up allowing Christ to work through you in becoming who He made you to be.

Be a servant, become a saint!
#Christian YOLO