21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

Does the narrow, closed door puzzle you?  If you had the choice of doors to walk through, which would you choose? In the Gospel reading this weekend, we hear of narrow doors, persons knocking on locked doors and surprises about who will enter into the kingdom of heaven. In other words, this story is about gatekeepers and “insiders” and “outsiders.” Who exactly will experience the kingdom of heaven?

In my family, everyone depended on my grandmother to pray us into heaven. My brothers, to this day, will claim that they can live life as they want because they have a sister who is a nun and ultimately, she will pray them into heaven. That’s counting on a lot! I keep telling them they are on their own!

This Gospel  for this weekend hits hard….it isn’t about who you know or what you have done. Only one relationship counts. And that relationship is with Jesus. We can sit in church every Sunday and listen, we can check off every sacrament we have received, we can do good deeds. But in the end, “insiders” will be left out, and “outsiders” will be brought in. The first shall be last, and the last shall be first. So many reversals.

Ultimately what matters most is whether Jesus recognizes us as related to him in our hearts. Can we call Jesus our “essential and first friend?” And does it matter where we are put, what door we walk through, as long as we are with Jesus? Read Anne Osdieck’s poetic portrayal of this Gospel here.