HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN THAT YOU ARE CHILDREN OF GOD?

XXI SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Luke 13:22-30

In the first reading, the prophet Isaiah presents the universal dimension of God’s plan of salvation. The prophets were indeed open minded people, who presented a vision not only for the people of Israel but for all peoples of the world. “I am coming to gather the nations of every language.” “And of some of them I will make priests and Levites, says the Lord.” (Is 66:18-21).

The people of Israel played an important role in the preparation of the coming of the Messiah, but when he came, he came for the salvation of the world. The Good News is offered to all, and all are invited to accept God’s love, revealed in Jesus Christ. In fact, Jesus Christ went far beyond all that the prophets had announced. As Christians, walking on the footsteps of Jesus Christ, we must announce the Good News to the nations and call all of them to proclaim the glory of the Lord.

Connected with the issue of salvation, we find in this Sunday’s gospel, a question that we ask many times: How many will be saved? Everybody will be saved, or only a few will be saved? Instead of giving an answer to this question, the Gospel puts forward a warning: We should not take it for granted, for salvation will not come the easy way. “Try your best to enter by the narrow door, because, I tell you, many will try to enter and will not succeed.” (Lk 13:24). 

We must work hard and be persistent. We should never think that God does not mind whatever we do or that he will let everything pass no matter what. In fact, our God is demanding. Already in the Old Testament, the people of Israel were given the commandment: You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy (Lev 19:2). To enter the Kingdom of God, it is not enough to say: Lord, Lord. It is not enough to say: I believe. It is not enough to be always in church, or to meet regularly in two or three associations. We must be serious in our commitment, or we are deceiving ourselves. Otherwise, on the day of judgement, the Lord may tell us: “I do not know where you come from. Away from me, all you wicked men!” (Lk 13:27).

This does not mean that we should live in fear or that we should never despair of salvation. Our God is not a capricious God, like Allah, the God of Islam, who can change his mind as he pleases and turn against us at the last moment. We should never forget that our God is our Father, who loves us dearly. And the letter to the Hebrews reminds us of that:

“Have you forgotten that encouraging text in which you are addressed as sons?” (Heb 12:5).

But as a father, he may reprehend and even punish us, so that we repent and turn away from evil. Our modern society does everything possible to diminish and soothe pain at all costs, while imposing pain on the feeblest of society. In the traditional society, during the initiation period, they imposed suffering and pain on the young ones, as a training for the life of adult, when they will face difficulties of all kinds. Things have changed a lot, and the children are given total freedom of saying and doing whatever they like, as if there are no barriers that one should not cross, without putting our lives or the lives of others in danger. The ones who have an easy life are less prepared to deal with the harshness of life than those who from childhood had to struggle in order to overcome many difficulties and live. Since childhood, one needs to learn about the responsibilities which must be met, knowing that the others are not to be put at our service; in fact we must take into account their rights and their needs. We do not live alone, and the others cannot be used to satisfy our desires. We need to become adults. If in our attitude towards life and towards the others we behave like children, it will be difficult to grow and become adults in faith.