ORDINARY TIME XXI [yr. C] (Aug 24). Is 66:18-21, Heb 12:5-7, 11-13; Lk 13:22-30

As Jesus draws nearer to Jerusalem, the place of His suffering and death, He addresses a question about salvation. Someone asks Him how many will be saved, but Jesus redirects the conversation to a more urgent and personal question: “How do I enter salvation, and am I prepared to enter now, before the Master shuts the door?” (cf. Lk 13:23-25). For Christ, salvation is not about numbers or speculation but about personal conversion and readiness. He calls us to choose the narrow gate, which is the way of sacrificial love (agape), and to love others as He loves us (Jn 15:12-13).

Scripture Insights

1. First Reading – Universal Salvation Foretold

Isaiah prophesies to the returning exiles of Babylon (Is 66:18-21). Some had married foreigners and felt tension about who truly belonged among God’s people. Isaiah makes it clear that salvation is not reserved for Israel alone. God’s plan is universal. People from all nations will come to Jerusalem to worship the Lord, and even Gentiles will serve as priests and Levites. This vision, which opens and closes the Book of Isaiah, anticipates Jesus’ Great Commission to make disciples of all nations (Mt 28:19). The prophecy shatters exclusivity, reminding us that God’s mercy is wider than human boundaries.

2. Responsorial Psalm – Missionary Call

Psalm 117, the shortest psalm, carries a global message: “Go out to all the world and tell the Good News” (Ps 117:1). The psalm echoes God’s covenant with Abraham, who was blessed so that “all the families of the earth shall find blessing in you” (Gen 12:3). Israel was chosen not for privilege but for mission, to bear witness to God before the nations. This psalm is fulfilled in Christ, who sends His followers to preach the Gospel to every creature (Mk 16:15).

3. Second Reading – Discipline of the Narrow Gate

The Letter to the Hebrews reminds us that the Christian journey involves discipline, which is a sign of God’s love for His children (Heb 12:5-13). To walk through the “narrow gate” (Lk 13:24) means embracing sacrifice, endurance, and holiness. Like athletes, believers must train and persevere, knowing that “without holiness no one will see the Lord” (Heb 12:14). St. Paul himself testifies to this struggle, saying, “I discipline my body and bring it under control” (1 Cor 9:27). Suffering is not punishment but purification, a way God strengthens His children to walk in His holiness.

4. Gospel – The Urgency of Entering Now

In Luke 13:22-30, Jesus teaches that salvation is not automatic. Many will seek to enter the kingdom but find the door shut because they delayed or presumed upon God’s mercy. The Master will say, “I do not know you” to those who had outward familiarity but lacked true conversion (v. 27). Jesus emphasizes urgency: the time to respond is now, not later. The narrow gate is not popular, but it is the only way to eternal life. It is the path of humility, charity, and obedience to God’s will (Mt 7:13-14).

Catholic Teaching on Salvation

The Catholic Church understands salvation as past, present, and future:

• Past: We were saved when Christ died for us (Rom 5:8-10) and when we entered into His death and resurrection through baptism (Rom 6:3-4, CCC 1263-1270).
• Present: We are being saved daily as we cooperate with God’s grace through faith, works of love, the sacraments, and ongoing conversion (Phil 2:12-13, Jas 2:17).
• Future: We will be saved definitively if we persevere to the end, hearing Christ say, “Well done, good and faithful servant… enter into the joy of your Master” (Mt 25:21).

This differs from the Protestant teaching of “once saved, always saved,” which originated with Calvin. Catholic teaching insists that salvation requires ongoing cooperation with God’s grace and that one can indeed fall away (CCC 162, 2016). St. Paul himself warns, “Whoever thinks he is standing secure should take care not to fall” (1 Cor 10:12).

Life Application

If we wish to enter the narrow gate and be welcomed into the banquet of eternal life, we must cooperate with God’s grace daily:

1. Practice self-control and discipline: resist sinful habits and addictions, seek purity of heart, and live by the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23).
2. Love sacrificially: see Christ in others (Mt 25:40), forgive generously, and share your blessings with the poor (1 Jn 3:17-18).
3. Stay spiritually nourished: through daily prayer, reading of Scripture (Ps 119:105), and reliance on the Holy Spirit’s guidance (Jn 14:26).
4. Frequent the sacraments: the Eucharist strengthens us with Christ’s Body and Blood (Jn 6:51), and Confession reconciles us and restores grace when we fall (Jn 20:22-23, CCC 1422-1424).

The question Jesus puts before us is not how many will be saved but am I walking through the narrow gate today? The door will one day close, but for now, it remains open. The time to choose is now. God bless you.

References

• Holy Bible, NRSV
• Catechism of the Catholic Church §§1263-1270, 1422-1424, 162, 2016.
• St. John Paul II, Redemptoris Missio §§1-2 (on the universality of salvation)