Jesus is the gate; those who go in through him will be saved. Their concern is to seek first the kingdom of God and his justice. 

We humans worry about a whole lot of things. There are those who worry about what to eat or wear, about getting sick and its cost. They thus seem to seek first to go on living, to survive. But Jesus tells them to seek first the kingdom of God.  And  the other things they need will be theirs also.

On the other hand, there are also those whose worries have to do with salvation. Their concern comes in all sorts of forms and shapes. Is there life after death? How many will be saved? Will I be one of them? What shall I do to attain eternal life?

And Jesus dares those with such worries to strive to go in through the narrow gate. No, he does not deal with the question of how many will attain salvation. For the crucial question for him is how to attain it.

Jesus wants us to seek first the way to salvation.

And his way is not the way of those who believe their salvation is a sure thing. For they are God’s own, his chosen ones, much fewer, of course, than the Gentiles. Such belief leads them to look down on others, since they think they are better than them.

So, it serves these righteous and first ones right to hear: “They will come from east and west, from north and south, to sit at table in the kingdom of God. For there are the last who will be first, and the first who will be last.” Yes, nations of many languages shall come and see God’s glory.

Nor is his way the way of those who do not welcome publicans and sinners, and do not eat with them. Of those who find shocking that he heals on the Sabbath, that his disciples break the tradition of the elders. It would surely be true of him to say that, for him, the supreme law is the salvation of souls (CCL 1752). That charity is above all rules (SV.EN X:478).

His way asks for trust in God, for the sale of possessions to give alms. For the proclamation of the Good News to the poor, which means, “solitaries need not apply.” His way leads to “a Church that is poor and for the poor.”

Lord Jesus, grant that we seek first the kingdom of God and his justice. And teach and discipline us, so we may be strong and bold to go in through the narrow gate. Make our salvation a sure thing. That is, make us follow you, living and dying to serve those who are poor (SV.EN III:384). Do not let us sin ever against your body and blood for our lack of concern for the poor (1 Cor 11, 17-29).

24 August 2025
21st Sunday in O.T. (C)
Is 66, 18-21; Heb 12, 5-7. 11-13; Lk 13, 22-30