21st Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C
Luke 13:22–30
Brothers and sisters, today’s Gospel is not an easy one. It challenges us with words from Jesus that may sound unsettling, even harsh:
“Strive to enter through the narrow door.”
“Away from me, all you evildoers!”
“There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Yes, these are strong words — and perhaps we are not used to hearing Jesus speak with such urgency.
The Gospel begins with a question that people asked in Jesus’ time, and which many still ask today:“Lord, will only a few be saved?” Even then, there were two extreme groups.
On one side were the optimists, the carefree ones:“It doesn’t really matter what I do. God is merciful; He’ll save me anyway. So why worry? Just live your life!”
On the other side were the pessimists or elitists:“Salvation is nearly impossible. Only a small, chosen few will make it. So, you’d better work hard to be among them!”
But Jesus agrees with neither. He refuses to give a simple yes or no. He won’t let anyone use his words to justify either complacency or fear. Instead, he shifts the focus away from numbers and speculation — away from how many will be saved — and towards something far more important: the present moment.
For Jesus, the real question is not“Who will be saved?” but rather: “How will you live — today?”
The Urgency of Now
Jesus warns us that it is possible to miss the very purpose of our lives. We can lose what God wants to give us — not because He withholds His grace, but because we refuse to respond.
Think of it like visiting the doctor. If the doctor tells us: ”If you don’t change your lifestyle, your life is in danger,” we can ignore the advice, but the consequences are real. In the same way, Jesus speaks as a physician of the soul. God offers us healing, forgiveness, and eternal life — but He will not force His gift upon us. We must be willing to cooperate with His grace.
What God offers is nothing less than the greatest gift imaginable: life — eternal life — communion with Him and with all His creation. But to receive it, we must make a choice, here and now, to turn towards Him.
There Is No Shortage of Grace
We all know how hard it is to change our habits, our ways of living, our priorities. Today’s Gospel acknowledges this struggle. Yet we must avoid thinking of salvation as a kind of competition — as though there are only a few seats available in heaven, and we must fight for them.
This is not the Gospel.
God’s mercy is not limited. His kingdom is not overcrowded. There are no shortage of grace and no housing crisis in heaven! Our Father’s heart is wide enough, His table large enough, for all who seek Him.
This is why Jesus speaks of striving — not because we are competing against one another, but because the spiritual life requires perseverance. It is not Darwin’s “survival of the fittest.” Rather, it is about faithfulness: opening our hearts, day by day, to God’s invitation.
Sharing in Christ’s Struggle
At the same time, Jesus does not hide the reality that following Him involves sacrifice. Life can feel like a struggle, and discipleship often brings its share of trials. Yet as Christians, we understand this struggle in the light of Christ’s own journey.
He suffered. He resisted temptation. He endured rejection and even death. As His followers, we are called to share in His mission — and yes, sometimes also in His suffering. As St John reminds us:
“A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also; if they kept my word, they will keep yours as well” (John 15:20).
But here is the promise: just as Christ’s suffering led to glory, so too our faithfulness will lead us to life.
Begin Today
Perhaps this is Jesus’ deepest invitation to us today: take your life seriously. This is the one life you have — your precious opportunity.
Do not delay.
Do not postpone conversion until tomorrow.
Do not wait until you “feel ready.”
Begin today.
To those who seek communion with Him, He promises eternal communion. To those who receive His life and share it with others, He promises eternal joy. And listen carefully to His words:“I am the door.”
He is the way, the truth, and the life.
The Great Banquet
At the end of the Gospel, the narrow, fearful question — “Will only a few be saved?” — receives a magnificent answer:
“People will come from east and west, from north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God.”
The table is wide. The invitation is universal. At that banquet, all earthly divisions will fade away — our wealth, our success, our beauty, our popularity. None of it will matter. What matters is whether we have lived according to Christ’s love and justice.
Yes, the path may be narrow. Yes, the journey may require sacrifice. But the promise stands firm: those who remain faithful will inherit God’s glory.
And this glory is not only a distant hope — we already taste it here and now:
• in the Eucharist,
• in prayer,
• and whenever we put Jesus’ words into practice.
So let us walk the way. We do not need to have arrived yet; the journey takes time, and God is patient. But let us not delay. Begin today. Keep your eyes on the goal. And one day, by His grace, we shall enter through the door.
Fr Dominik Terstriep, S.J.
