Today, the Church offers us a messianic vision.
First, in Isaiah’s account, the scattered people gather together and a vision of universal concord prevails.
For his part, the Apostle to the Gentiles, in his Letter to the Hebrews, exhorts the people of his time and us to recognize our errors and faults and to accept correction with humility and gratitude, keeping our eyes fixed on the goal, which is none other than the Banquet of the Kingdom.
Finally, Luke in his Gospel places us before the narrow door that opens before men at the crucial moment of their identity, with the risk of suffering a disappointment without appeal. Perhaps they have been close to the presence and the Word of the Lord, but
they did not see as He saw,
they did not touch the pain of others as He did,
they did not transmit the message of the Kingdom as He did,
they did not follow His steps nor bear His light yoke.
In a word, they were only spectators and participants in chance or fleeting encounters.
Yes, “the others” will be there – perhaps the last ones – who will take the vacant places. Looking at the reality of our present society, we could liken this situation to a somewhat sensationalist newspaper headline:
“Migrants from neighboring countries take numerous jobs”
“Argentine youth prolong their family dependence and reliance on subsidies, do not train adequately to succeed in the workplace, and when they reach adulthood, are not fit to enter the world of work”
May today’s Word remind us that salvation is not inherited by proximity or habit, but is embraced with decision and with works of love. The Kingdom is both gift and task: to enter through the narrow door is to learn to see, to feel, to proclaim, and to walk as Jesus did.
Sr. María José Bailos
Community of the Provincial House
Province of Saint Rose of Lima
