Don Bosco Philippines South Province

Homily on the 21st Sunday in OT, 21 August 2022

Yesterday I drove Fr Joseph Kunle, my confrere from Nigeria, around the city to visit various churches and shrines. After letting him see the Sto Nino Basilica, Magellan’s Cross, the Cathedral and its museum I brought him to see the Old Jesuit House in Parian, just few blocks away from the Cathedral. I told Fr. Joseph that this house is one of the oldest houses in Cebu as it was built as early as the year 1730. But it is actually situated within a hardware owned today by a Chinese who bought the entire property without knowing that the house used to belong to the Jesuits a long time ago. So when we entered the gate of Ho Tong Hardware, we immediately saw plenty of construction materials lying around including a fork lift. And from the admin office came a young lady who welcomed us very warmly. She introduced herself as Wena, one of the scholars of the owner, and told us that she would be our tour guide for that day. So we followed her as she ushered us to the door of the old Jesuit House standing sturdily a few steps away. She gave us a concise history of the house and how it ended up in the possession of a Chinese merchant named Jaime Sy. We were impressed by the very enriching tour we had including the freshly brewed coffee she prepared for us at the end of the tour.

Before leaving I asked her something about her scholarship, whether she was required by her sponsor to maintain a specific grade in order to keep her scholarship grant. And she replied saying “no”. Then I said, “Hmmm… So does it mean that even if you get a grade of 3 in some subjects, it would be okay because you won’t lose your scholarship anyway?” And she smiled at me saying “Of course, father, out of gratitude I will strive to get good grades in all my subjects.” After hearing those words, I couldn’t but affirm her and encourage her for what she said and we thanked her sincerely with a big tip for the enriching tour she gave us that morning.

Brothers and sisters we are now on the Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time. And in the gospel passage we just heard Jesus tells us something quite disturbing and perhaps even scary, but at the same time very challenging. He actually didn’t answer directly the question thrown at him by someone from the crowd “Lord, will only a few people be saved?” In reply Jesus simple said “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough.” (Could you please repeat these words after me “Strive to enter through the narrow gate.” Could you please tell these words to the one beside you… Thank you for your cooperation.)

We really do not know why that Jew asked that particularly unsettling question. Perhaps he believed that out of so many millions of people in the world only the Jews, the chosen people of God, could be saved. And he probably needed a confirmation from the great Teacher and Master. However Jesus, knowing the narrow-mindedness of his fellow Jew, answered him by making the way to salvation even much narrower. And what were the words that he said to him? “Strive to enter through the narrow gate.” Why? It is because “many will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough to succeed.”

I believe what Jesus wanted to teach the Jews is that their belonging to the chosen people of God does not automatically give them the privileged reward of salvation. And he tried to push the issue even more shickingly for his followers telling them that even if they were his disciples, listening to his teachings, eating and drinking with the great Teacher and Master, they could also lose their reward of salvation. It is simply like this. A college student may be enrolled in university because of the scholarship grant that he or she may have received from a kind and generous sponsor. But if he does not study his lessons well and complete all his requirements on time, but on the contrary neglects his/her scholastic duties and gets failing grades, he/she could lose the chance of coming up the stage and receiving the diploma. A good education is not automatically gained simply by getting a scholarship grant. One has to work hard for the degree.

And so I believe what Jesus is telling us is that our being baptized Catholics, as well as our listening to God’s Word and participation in the Eucharist every week will not automatically bring us to heaven at the end of our lives. These things could easily be done especially when you have already acquired the good habit of coming to Mass every Sunday. However the bigger and greater challenge is to observe in our daily lives all that Jesus our Lord is teaching us. In other words, our participation in the Eucharist should lead us to participate more fully in the life of Jesus. And our being one with him in Holy Communion entails that we strive to have our lives transformed by him, so that our thoughts, words, actions, our attitudes, behavior and relationships become more and more like that of Jesus. If we do not make a conscious effort to change for the better and live in accordance with God’s will and plan, then at the end of our lives, as selfish and as self-absorbed as we are, with all of the extra baggage we did not courageously let go, we will not only fail to pass through the extremely narrow door but will also find it closing right before us. And the most tragic part will be this: no matter how many times we try to knock, the door will not be opened for us, and hence we will find ourselves locked out of paradise for all eternity.

Here in our country, every Sunday our churches are full-packed with Catholic worshipers including the most beautiful shrines and basilicas we have visited yesterday. But we really cannot foretell how many of us Catholics will truly see each other in heaven. Even referring to this assembly we do not know who among us will be able to make it up there. So I invite you to look at each other and memorize the faces of those around you. And more importantly let us pray for each other that our weekly worship may gradually cause the transformation of our lives and of our community following the teachings of Jesus and fully in accord with God’s will and wonderful plan. And at the end of our lives, may we all may make it through the narrow door, and one day see each other in God’s eternal home with none of us absent at the heavenly banquet of the Lord. GiG…sss!

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