Suggested Reading:



Learn your Faith through this free series of  video presentations by
Dominican Friars

St. Thomas Institute

St. Thomas Institute



P
ope Saint Pius V

Pope Saint Pius V pray for Holy Mother Church, for Heresies abound

Pray for Holy Mother Church,
for heresies abound


Boston Catholic Journal

Write us:

editor@boston-catholic-journal.com

Boston Catholic Journal

HOME


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Boston Catholic Journal - Critical Catholic Commentary in the Twilight of Reason


 

THE NARROW GATE

The Narrow Gate that leads to Everlasting Life

and “Broader Meanings” ...


 “Lord, will only a few people be saved?” He answered them:
“Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you,
will seek to enter but will not be able.” (St. Luke 13.23-24)



So many of us look for some esoteric meaning in the words of Christ, a meaning hidden beneath the surface, beyond the obvious, and we pride ourselves that we are clever in having understood it in light of some obscure aspect of history, archeology, or Semitic culture. We delve into the construction of walls and buildings, look to artifacts, cultic practices, and so forth. In other words, we look everywhere to find the meaning of what Jesus says ... except in what Jesus says.
 
In our obsession with the “hidden”, the “secret”, the “real” message obscured by, and cleverly concealed within the words — we completely overlook the obvious. It is too simple for us, too transparent for our “sophisticated” minds — we are far more clever than these simple Jews from some obscure province of Rome.

At Mass today, many of us will be guided through the intricacies of the construction of the walls surrounding the Holy City of Jerusalem, with a special emphasis on “the Narrow Gate” (kheta) and the “Eye of the Needle”. The priest will presume that we cannot understand the obvious apart from the obscure, and by focusing upon, by belaboring the obscure, he will successfully elucidate the obvious.

After our architectural lesson, we will all warmly congratulate ourselves on how clever and insightful we have subsequently become. Now we know all about the Narrow gate: how wide it is, how encumbered camels cannot pass through it, that it was a security measure, albeit primitive, to prevent the mass influx of an enemy that may possibly lay siege to Jerusalem; that it was so high and this long — oh, by the way, and in conclusion ... Jesus was using the Narrow Gate as an analogy that has something to do with sin and salvation; however, by now I am unclear about the point of the analogy ... “how many cubits high did you say it was ... and a cubit equals how many feet?”

At this point I must make a confession: I do not know how wide the gate was. I do not even know how wide a camel is. What is more ... I have no compelling reason to find out — and, I suspect, neither do you. But I do know that both the Gate and the Camel are really beside the point – and so do you. You know what Jesus is saying.

We know, but we wish to quibble. “Well, what if it was a Llama instead of a Camel? And does the parable presume the camel’s having three days supply on it, or four, in order to prevent it’s passing through the gate?”

The point is that the parable is not about a camel .... or even about a narrow gate!

It is about you! It is about your soul making its way to Heaven. Of course Christ used parables, but He also spoke in strikingly clear and unquestionable terms.

Why should this be important to you? Because He tells you that many will attempt to enter — but will not.

Why? They will be busy measuring the gates ... instead of endeavoring to walk through them.


Geoffrey K. Mondello
Editor
Boston Catholic Journal

PDF printable version

Comments? Write us:  editor@boston-catholic-journal.com


 

Boston Catholic Journal

Totally Faithful to the Sacred Deposit of Faith entrusted to the Holy See in Rome

Scio opera tua ... quia modicum habes virtutem, et servasti verbum Meum, nec non negasti Nomen Meum 
I know your works ... that you have but little power, and yet you have kept My word, and have not denied My Name.
(Apocalypse 3.8)

 

Copyright © 2004 - 2024 Boston Catholic Journal. All rights reserved. Unless otherwise stated, permission is granted by the Boston Catholic Journal for the copying and distribution of the articles and audio files under the following conditions:  No additions, deletions, or changes are to be made to the text or audio files in any way, and the copies may not be sold for a profit. In the reproduction, in any format of any image, graphic, text, or audio file, attribution must be given to the Boston Catholic Journal.

 

The Face

The Face and the Culmination of Vatican II

and the
Culmination
of Vatican II



Search the Boston Catholic Journal



Basic Catholic
Audio

Free Catholic Audio Library
in Latin & English


Audio Books,
devotions, and
prayers
:
L
isten to them
or download them

completely free





You Cannot Build Down

Archbishop Fulton Sheen - The Fourth Great Crisis in the Church - The End of Christendom
The Destruction
of everything in the Past

Archbishop Fulton Sheen



Baltimore

Catechism

online

Baltimore Catechism - the most authoritative Catholic Catechism ever printed

Discover what
the Church

has taught for

2000 Years
before Vatican II

Newly Formatted
with hyperlinks
for improved readability

Read online
or

Download the PDF



The Little Office

The Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary
of the
Blessed Virgin Mary



Pope Pius V Catechism of Trent

Catechism of the Council of Trent New Edition

New Edition (free)



A Primer for

A Primer for Catholic Symbolism

Catholic Symbolism



The Practice
of the
Presence
of God


by
 
Brother Lawrence

Complete Audio Files



Novena to
St Jude

 Novena to St Jude Printable 4-fold with one piece of paper

Printable Booklet
on 1 sheet
of paper, 4-fold, free

|



With Mary in the Rose Garden

With Mary Immaculate, Mother of God in the Rose Garden
Reflections on the Rosary
with a Poor Clare Nun and
Saint Padre Pio



Pope Saint Pius X
Pray for us

Pope Saint Pius X pray for us

“I shall spare myself neither
care nor labor nor vigils for
the salvation of souls”

Home