JESUS passed through towns and villages, teaching as he went and making his way to Jerusalem. Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few people be saved?” He answered them, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough. After the master of the house has arisen and locked the door, then will you stand outside knocking and saying, ‘Lord, open the door for us.’ He will say to you in reply, ‘I do not know where you are from.’ And you will say, ‘We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets.’ Then he will say to you, ‘I do not know where you are from. Depart from me, all you evildoers!’ And there will be wailing and grinding of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God and you yourselves cast out. And people will come from the east and the west and from the north and the south and will recline at table in the Kingdom of God. For behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”
* * *
Evildoers are people who do not seek to enter the narrow door. They want everything made easy for them. Evildoers are not vigilant to the presence and inspiration of Jesus. They shamelessly demand the door to be opened for them when it is already closed. Evildoers dictate their own time. They do not listen to anyone.
Jesus is harsh on this kind of people. He shoos them away when they finally knock at his door, when all the locks are in place. They should have entered when the door was wide open for everyone.
These people may have delayed their entrance because they wanted to continue with their illegal and immoral activities for as long as possible. Calling them evildoers, Jesus virtually tells them, “No way. You don’t deserve to be here. You have missed the many opportunities for your conversion.”
Christians must be keen on responding to God’s call to enter the narrow gate. God is always calling us to repent of our sins and to stop committing them. We can do this by taking to heart what we learn from the teachings of the Bible and the Church. We can avoid being evildoers and associate with people who fear God.
* * *
SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord 2017” ST. PAULS Philippines, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 895-9701; Fax 895-7328; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.
