21st Sunday Of Ordinary Times

        Is our religion one of life, or one of words, rites and devotions. The Gospel of today calls us to ask what kind of religion we profess. The first reading is linked to this theme; it proclaims “religious universality”. The religion of life can be exposed by people not visibly part of the community of Jesus’ disciples. God has already given pagans the same privilege as his chosen people. To educate us in this religion of life, God sometimes uses methods that are painful. Sometimes, he allows us to be victims of persecution. The second reading teaches this.

           Jesus is asked a question in today’s Gospel. “Will only a few people be saved?” I guess Jesus figures we can answer the question for ourselves by seeing how people live according to his teachings. IF we live by his teachings, we’re on our way to eternal happiness; if not, we’ll lose out. The image of the closed door that Jesus used was a warning to Jews not to take their position as “chosen people” for granted. Likewise it’s a warning for all of us and the “closed door” reminds all of us that time will run out. We can’t take salvation for granted. Life is just so long and none of us know how long it will last. And that is why our Lord wants us to avoid the pitfalls, and to take our faith seriously. The message or request of a little baby who is beginning to work for the first time is: “Take my hand and help me walk; And keep my balance till my legs strengthen. And should I fall, and fall again. Take my hand and help me up. St. Mother Teresa, one of the icons of holiness for our time, said that our call was to do the ordinary with extraordinary love. Because God gives us such a love, we can begin to treat our world and especially the people in it with reverence.