October 31st, 2018

Wednesday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

LECTIONARY
481

FIRST READING
EPH 6:1-9

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
Honor your father and mother.
This is the first commandment with a promise,
that it may go well with you
and that you may have a long life on earth.
Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger,
but bring them up with the training and instruction of the Lord.

Slaves, be obedient to your human masters with fear and trembling,
in sincerity of heart, as to Christ,
not only when being watched, as currying favor,
but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart,
willingly serving the Lord and not men,
knowing that each will be requited from the Lord
for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.
Masters, act in the same way towards them, and stop bullying,
knowing that both they and you have a Master in heaven
and that with him there is no partiality.

PSALM
PS 145:10-11, 12-13AB, 13CD-14

Response: The Lord is faithful in all his words.

Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom
and speak of your might.

Making known to men your might
and the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.
Your Kingdom is a Kingdom for all ages,
and your dominion endures through all generations.

The LORD is faithful in all his words
and holy in all his works.
The LORD lifts up all who are falling
and raises up all who are bowed down.

GOSPEL
LK 13:22-30

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.”

Daily Reflection

31st October 2018

For those who naively believe that being ‘Catholic’ is a ticket to a life in heaven, the warning of Jesus in today’s Gospel may come as a shock. God’s invitation is open to all, Jew and Gentile alike. But Jesus warns that we can be excluded if we do not strive to enter by the narrow door, which is Himself! Hence, if we are to enter through that door we would need to walk in the footsteps of Jesus – to speak the truth, to stand for justice, to foster peace, to show mercy, to be compassionate, to serve selflessly and to love unconditionally.

St. Paul says we must struggle against the forces of temptation to sin (even apathy, indifference, and compromise) that would hinder us from walking the way of Christ and doing the will of God. The good news is that we do not struggle alone. God is with us and His grace is sufficient!

We cannot enter heaven on borrowed goodness, we need to walk through the narrow door!