In today’s Gospel Story, (Luke 13:22-30 Jesus says, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough”. Much of the majority report see this as a warning abut looking to get to heaven. For many the whole purpose of religion is to get us to heaven later after we die. Many don’t see any inherent value to living the Gospel for its own sake in your here and now. Usually the narrow way is resented as following the rules of an established religious tradition, each of which see their way as the only true way.
As usual, the minority report can be of varied understandings, and as personal as I want it to be, or not. Jesus talks about a “narrow way”. Jesus taught a way of living. At first his followers were known as people of the way. Jesus’ way of living reflects Abba in our life. Our salvation begins in our here and now. It is a way of living in an ongoing relationship with Abba. Jesus shows us how to live as he did, which is his call to us today. These days this is difficult and dangerous. How any of us react to the Gospel is heavily influenced by what is going on in our life when we hear or read it. There is a lot going on in my life. Another trip to the ER, followed by a few days being down for maintenance, all due to usual cardiac issues. I was with good folks who, whether they had any religious influence in their life I don’t know and don’t really care, took care of me in my various stages of alertness in a very kind and dedicated way, often with a healthy and welcome sense of humor. It was a humbling experience, reminding me what I should be, and would like to be. To me it was all Abba being Abba. We had some good chats. They helped me, and I certainly hope I helped them.
Jesus is the only religious leader who says I am the way. The others say I will show you the way. “I am the way, the truth and the life, says the Lord; no one comes to the Father, except through me”. In our tradition there is something called the “sacrament of the present moment”, or “actual grace”. The Spirit really does “speak” to us in our every day living. We have the choice of whether or not to be open to this. A Scripture verse that appears frequently in our liturgies is, “if today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts”. This is my choice, to listen or not. Sometimes this listening is fairly easy, other times it is not.
Salvation isn’t just a matter of “going to heaven”. As Pope John Paul 2 said, heaven is not a place, but a state of being. Salvation is a matter of how I live now that influences and continues how I will live later. Pope Leo said yesterday, “Those who think they are in good standing simply because they follow religious rituals do not truly understand that the heart cannot be transformed by acts alone. “Some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.” Salvation is a journey toward wholeness, that we make with each other. and grow into the fulness for which we are created. It invites us to move toward compassionate living. Wanting everybody to think as we do, and having things go as we want them to, is much overrated and unrealistic We feel we are in a position to judge others, often in very nasty even abusive ways. Media and the internet make this painfully clear.
These days folks on all sides of any question find ourselves in a frustrating position, often with a high degree of anger. On an operational level many feel that the Gospel is ok for church but has no place in real life. In our ordinary dealings Gospel values are nowhere to be seen. In our tradition there is something called the “sacrament of the present moment”, or “actual grace”. The Spirit really does “speak” to us in our every day living. We have the choice of whether or not to be open to this. Our salvation is not a private affair between Abba and us. While it is personal, it is never in any way private. I need to focus on my living, not on other people’s living. Everybody in my life is part of my salvation. This does not mean we all have to agree on everything. This is my choice, to listen or not, to be hard or open.
I am fortunate enough to live among some wonderful people. It’s nice having kids my own age to play with. We talk openly about death and most of us have no fear at all. We even joke about why it is taking so long. When these “is this the time?” events happen, as they are with increasing frequency and intensity, I find myself re-re-looking at a lot of my life. I see this as a gift. Thanks again to my “heart-attack-in-te-car”, I look forward eagerly to the next PCS (Permanent Change of Station). It will be good, although I cannot define good. The Welcome Prayer approach is a good way to live. It sure helped me this past week. It simplifies things, and offers a different awareness of God, especially the idea, or experience, of God, Abba, as a verb happening in and around me. Every day happenings have a much deeper meaning and implication for how I understand daily living. People, all people, even the people I don’t like, are important. The Gospel make this clear. Yet, throughout the world, what are we doing to each other, at times even in the name of Abba? The gate is narrow because the journey is difficult. Yet, I have to try, to do my best, not out of fear, but because of love, the same love that was shown tome in the hospital this past week and at other ties and places. Religious terminology is not important. How we treat others is. I had the wonderful experience of a chat with the hospital chaplain who shared her journey with me and anointed me with loving prayer. It was a wonderful experience. To paraphrase, “if today I hear his voice, harden not my heart”. I don’t have answers, but I do have questions, lots of them. Just sayin . . .