“Strive to enter through the narrow gate” (Luke 13:24)
December 9, 2020
The Luke’s Gospel states these words of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as written in the Holy bible. Whilst He was walking in every city and village, one man asked him a question. “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?” Then, Lord Jesus said to them, “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to.” The narrow gate is the gate of the kingdom of heaven, but only for those who sin against the flesh. The kingdom of heaven is immense, but we are the ones who make it narrow. (Luke 13:20-24)
Then again, Our Lord Jesus have said, “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14)
The wide gate is the secular life. It’s way is broad in its beginning, but its end is destruction. Whereas the narrow gate is narrow in the beginning, but its end is eternal life. In Holy Scriptures is written as, “We must go through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22) our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” (2 Corinthians 4:17)
Father Stephen Freeman, Priest of Orthodox Church in America explained about the narrow path in his sermon. He says, “The way into the Kingdom is intricate because of its narrow path. The way itself is difficult and the path is narrow. These things are not true because God wants it to be hard for us to enter the Kingdom; they are hard on account of the nature of the spiritual disease that afflicts us.”
Father further notified about our Lord’s words clearly stated for all. “Lord Christ words are quite clear about the narrow path of which only few will enter and pass through it. The conversion of Christianity from the narrow path to world-wide religion is the elevation of the wide-road of destruction to the place of a false salvation. The Christianity of ideas and arguments, entertainment as worship, morality as asceticism, is the path found by the many. It is an adaptation and misuse of certain ideas associated with Christ. It was not created by saints nor built on the blood of martyrs. It will run continue until its cultural usefulness has run its course. It will serve as an inoculation for many making them immune to the grace of the narrow way. They will want nothing to do with Christianity,” notifies Priest Stephen.
These days, most have enter the wide road and trapped in the devils nest. Those people have lost their way walking in the wrong direction desire worldly life. We may have noticed that young people in particular are not able to submit to the will of the soul and forfeit their flesh. The main of cause of this problem, being children growing up without hearing the word of God from their youth-hood, is the parent’s responsibilities. They are expected to guide them into Christian life by educating their children in Sunday schools and raising up through the liturgy of Holy Church.
Ministers, on the other hand, are responsible for identifying gaps and teaching families individually, depending on their needs and abilities. If this is possible, parents can effectively communicate with their children and help them throughout their endeavors. Children are more likely to be good by obeying their parents as the tenth commandment states, “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you.” (Exodus 20:12)
Christians who heard the apostolic preaching and converted to Christianity in the days of the Apostles were scattered because of the death of Saint Stephen, the first martyr. From this we learn that church ministers have a responsibility to teach the Word of God to laities and others.
But while the doctrine of the gospel is offered properly, it is self-defeating to recede from the Church and seize spiritual life by blaming the teachers, other priests or ministers for their foolishness. “Judge[a] not, that you be not judged” (Matthew 7:1)
Human shall strive to be saved, for all will be rewarded according to their deeds. We shall seek safety and be encouraged to walk the life’s path for our salvation. It is the duties of each and every one of us to persist in faith and religion. Every human being necessitates praying, fast and conducting Christian deeds beginning from the age of seven.
Thus, the family of God under the Orthodox Incarnation religion submit to the will of our souls so that we may despise this world and enter through the narrow door.
Strive to enter the narrow door!
May the mercy of God and the intercession of our Lady, all Saints and Righteous be with us; Amen.