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| “The Narrow Gate” by Dcn. Robert Lackney (brother and artist) |
Reading 1: Genesis 13:2, 5-18
Abram was very rich in livestock,
silver, and gold.
so that the land could not
support them if they stayed together;
their possessions were so
great that they could not dwell together.
There were quarrels between
the herdsmen of Abram's livestock
and those of Lot 's.
(At this time the Canaanites
and the Perizzites
were occupying the land.)
So Abram said to Lot :
"Let there be no strife
between you and me,
or between your herdsmen and
mine, for we are kinsmen.
Is not the whole land at your
disposal?
Please separate from me.
If you prefer the left, I
will go to the right;
if you prefer the right, I
will go to the left."
the whole Jordan Plain
like the LORD's own garden,
or like Egypt
(This was before the LORD had
destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah
Lot, therefore, chose for
himself the whole Jordan
Plain
and set out eastward.
Thus they separated from each
other;
Abram stayed in the land of Canaan
while Lot
settled among the cities of the Plain,
pitching his tents near Sodom
Now the inhabitants of Sodom
in the sins they committed
against the LORD.
After Lot
had left, the LORD said to Abram:
"Look about you, and
from where you are,
gaze to the north and south,
east and west;
all the land that you see I
will give to you
and your descendants forever.
I will make your descendants
like the dust of the earth;
if anyone could count the
dust of the earth,
your descendants too might be
counted.
Set forth and walk about in
the land, through its length and breadth,
for to you I will give
it."
Abram moved his tents and
went on to settle
near the terebinth of Mamre,
which is at Hebron
There he built an altar to
the LORD.
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Commentary on Gn 13:2, 5-18
The blessings of
the Lord follow Abram and Lot as they return
to the north from the Negeb. With
prosperity comes crowding of the herds, so they agree to move apart with Lot
moving toward the east (near Sodom) and Abram staying in Canaan. God again tells Abram that the land is for
him and his descendants.
CCC: Gn 13:8 500
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 15:2-3a, 3bc-4ab, 5
R. (1b) He who does justice will live in the presence
of the Lord.
He who walks blamelessly and
does justice;
who thinks the truth in his
heart
and slanders not with his
tongue.
R. He who does justice
will live in the presence of the Lord.
Who harms not his fellow man,
nor takes up a reproach
against his neighbor;
By whom the reprobate is
despised,
while he honors those who
fear the LORD.
R. He who does justice
will live in the presence of the Lord.
Who lends not his money at
usury
and accepts no bribe against
the innocent.
He who does these things
shall never be disturbed.
R. He who does justice
will live in the presence of the Lord.
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Commentary on Ps 15:2-3a, 3bc-4ab, 5
Psalm 15 is a
didactic song instructing the faithful to follow God’s precepts and explaining
that those who act in accord with the Law will receive God’s support and grace.
This selection
records the response of the temple representative when asked what virtues are
appropriate in the eyes of God. The response lauds the person who follows the
“Law,” specifically the Hebrew laws that warn against slander or false
accusations. In the second strophe it honors the person who does no violence
against another. And finally, in the last strophe, we are told that the person
who does not charge interest on a loan (usury) is also uplifted.
CCC: Ps
15:3-7 579
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Gospel: Matthew 7:6, 12-14
Jesus said to his disciples:
"Do not give what is
holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine,
lest they trample them
underfoot, and turn and tear you to pieces.
"Do to others whatever
you would have them do to you.
This is the Law and the
Prophets.
"Enter through the
narrow gate;
for the gate is wide and the
road broad that leads to destruction,
and those who enter through
it are many.
How narrow the gate and
constricted the road that leads to life.
And those who find it are
few."
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Commentary on Mt 7:6, 12-14
This selection
contains three popular sayings of the Lord, contained within the body of the
Sermon on the Mount. The “pearls before swine” saying has been somewhat
problematic for scholars. It probably refers to proclaiming the Gospel to those
who reject it most strenuously, the scribes and Pharisees. This is followed by
a shortened passage expounding the “Golden Rule.” The passage concludes with
the analogy of the “narrow gate.” The narrow gate refers here to
following the precepts of the Lord, and keeping the discipline of the faith.
These precepts form a boundary for actions: “How narrow the gate and
constricted the road that leads to life.”
CCC: Mt 7:12-13 2821; Mt 7:12 1789, 1970; Mt 7:13-14 1036, 1970, 2609; Mt 7:13 1696
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Reflection:
“How narrow the gate and constricted the road
that leads to life.” Whenever this
passage is proclaimed we think of road construction at rush hour. In most major cities, it seems that those in
authority pick the most heavily traveled stretches of highway to repair just as
traffic is at its heaviest. This always
causes huge backups and tempers flare.
When people rush
to get to the same destination there are always those who think there might be
an easier way, a quicker way, one not requiring the patience needed to follow
the constricted way. These individuals
violate laws and place themselves (and others) in danger because of their
failure to follow the laws.
The same thing is
true of our journey toward the heavenly kingdom. The path is constricted by the commandments
set down for us to follow. Those who
find them too difficult, such as those confronted with a traffic backup, will
try to find an easier way, a more comfortable route. Those who choose this path are the ones Jesus
laments in the passage from St. Matthew’s Gospel.
There was an
article recently published by an apologist that addressed this very point. When confronted by a young man who was a
professed atheist he began to explore the reasons this once-Catholic individual
had turned so adamantly away from the Church.
After hearing the young man go through all of the usual popular
objections about the failings of the Church and the people of faith, the apologist
asked just one question: “You’re sleeping with your girlfriend, aren’t you?”
So often those we
meet who reject the narrow path do not do so because they do not believe it is
the right path, but rather because it is either too difficult or not as much
“fun” as the alternative. The person who
fails at some endeavor in life does not embrace that failure because it is the
right thing to do, but rather because succeeding generally requires more work,
discipline and effort.
For those who
struggle along the narrow way, we pray that they continue to have the strength
to persevere, ignoring the short-term struggle and seeing the eternal
benefit. We pray also for those who have
found the narrow way too difficult and have turned back. We pray and encourage them that they might
know that it is never too late to make the attempt once more. For all of us we pray that, in spite of the
times we fail, falling off that narrow way, that we have the strength of faith
to dust ourselves off and climb back on.
Life is worth the effort.
Pax
[1]
The picture used is “The Narrow Gate” by Dcn.
Robert Lackney (brother and artist).
[3]
The readings are taken from the New American Bible with the exception of the
Psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for
English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is
for private use only.
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