The readings today draw us into three interconnected truths of our faith: God’s universal call to holiness, the necessity of discipline in the Christian life, and the urgent invitation to strive for the Kingdom through the narrow gate.
In the first reading from Isaiah, the Lord declares that He will gather all nations to Himself. People from every language and corner of the earth will be drawn to His glory. This is a reminder that salvation is not the privilege of a few, but a gift offered to all. Yet this gift must be received, cherished, and lived. God calls everyone—but He also asks each of us to walk in holiness.
The second reading from the Letter to the Hebrews takes us deeper into what this holiness requires. The author reminds us that God’s discipline is not punishment meant to destroy, but a Father’s correction meant to heal and strengthen. Discipline is never pleasant in the moment; it can sting, it can test us, it can even discourage us if we forget its purpose. But for those who endure, it produces, as the reading says, “the peaceful fruit of righteousness.”
Think of an athlete training for the Olympics. The discipline, the long hours, the fatigue—none of it is easy. But without that training, the victory could never be won. In the same way, God allows trials, sufferings, even His correction, not to push us away but to prepare us for eternal glory. Every cross we carry, every pruning we undergo, every correction we receive—if embraced with faith—makes us more like His Son.
And then we come to the Gospel, where Jesus speaks with striking clarity: “Strive to enter through the narrow gate.” Notice the word: strive. The Greek verb used here implies effort, struggle, even agonizing. The Christian life is not passive. It is not enough to say, “We ate and drank with you” or “We heard your teaching.” Familiarity with Jesus is not the same as friendship with Him. Proximity is not the same as holiness.
The narrow gate is the path of daily conversion, of choosing what is right even when it is hard, of letting God shape us through discipline. And here lies the paradox: the narrow gate that feels so constricted in this life opens into the vast banquet of God’s Kingdom, where people will come from east and west, north and south, to recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the saints.
So what does this mean for us today? It means first that we must strive after good—not settling for mediocrity in faith, but pursuing holiness with courage. It means we must accept God’s discipline with gratitude, recognizing in it the love of a Father who desires our salvation. And it means we must never delay, never presume that just being near Jesus is enough, but instead walk through the narrow gate of daily fidelity, repentance, and love.
The Psalm today tells us: “Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.” The Good News is this: God calls us, disciplines us, and prepares us for His Kingdom. The narrow gate may be difficult, but it leads to life.
Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, may we strive to imitate her faithful endurance in trusting God, even and most especially when difficult times befall us.
Most Holy Mother, Queen of all those who endure life’s challenges to the end, helping them be pleasing to God, pray for us who have recourse to thee.
Amen
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