The Narrow Gate
(For the children’s mass today)
Remember last week, we had some difficult readings. And I asked you to just pick out one word to think about. The word I picked out was sin and we talked about lying. Today we have some readings that can be confusing too. This time the word that touched my heart was narrow gate. Yes, I know that is two words but that is ok too.
Did you ever wonder what the narrow gate is? I think we have narrow gates today. I think about Menard’s. They have narrow gates that you must walk through. So, we know what one kind of narrow gate is. Another narrow gate is when we go to the county fair. First, they have a narrow gate that you have to enter to get into the fair. And it always seems to me that I am the last in a long line, right. And once we get inside and if I want to go on one of the rides, I have to stand in line to go through another narrow gate to get to the ride.
I guess having gates is a good thing. They make us take turns, don’t they? And by standing in line, even if we don’t like it, we learn patience. Wherever we go we find narrow gates. Do you think the Church has gates? We do. Jesus says I am the way, the truth, and the life. Jesus is our gate in a special way. If we want to go to heaven, then we must think of Jesus as our gate. He also teaches patience. He also teaches us how to love God and one another and ourselves. When Jesus says He is the way, we know He is speaking about the Church, being a member of the Church. When Jesus says He is the truth, we know we must learn our faith and then live it by sharing it with others. And when Jesus says He is the life we know He is speaking about the Eucharist. We must receive Jesus into our hearts, and our souls, and our minds.
Let us offer a prayer for ourselves, our friends, and our families, that we may all enter through the narrow gate to be forever in heaven with Jesus.
May the Lord bless you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen