Ordinary 21

The Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time

Isaiah 66:18-21; Psalm 117; Hebrews 12:5-7, 11-13; Luke 13:22-30

“Lord, will only a few people be saved?”

The questioner presumes much, do they not?

Why do we diminish the vastness of God’s graciousness and mercy? Why only a few people? Why wasn’t it asked, “Lord, how great a number will saved” rather than, will only a few be saved? Is the question arising more from our human perceptions of mercy rather than what God has revealed to us about God?

The scriptures reveal to us the very depths of divine mercy and salvation; a mercy of overflowing and overwhelming proportions. Psalm 103 proclaims, “As far the east is from the west, so far has God put our sins from us.” Jesus asks, “Woman, has no one condemned you? Neither do I condemn you.”  To a convicted criminal: “Today you will be with me in paradise.” And how can we forget the wonderful image of God portrayed as a parent embracing a lost child, cutting off their plea of forgiveness and celebrating a return. These are examples we are all very familiar with of God’s graciousness and mercy. Why then does the question limit God’s mercy? Why do we? For whenever we judge another person, put them in a box, condemn or categorize people, do not allow people to grow and change than we are limiting God’s care and mercy for a sister or brother.

The questioner, to my mind, also presumes that they are one of the few who will be saved. Do you and I presume we are among the last who will be first? That’s a very dangerous spiritual position to take. When we are so sure of ourselves, is it not easier to become blind to our own sins and so act self-righteously in regard to the failures, perceived or real, of other people? That is why Jesus warns against judging others. We do not see as God sees.

What if I – you – are among the first who will be last? That is a very uncomfortable question to contemplate. It is not enough to hang around with Jesus, eating, drinking and listening to him. The Gospel passage challenges our presumptions. For how does a person hang with Jesus and yet his response is: “I do not know where you are from”? Yet Isaiah and Jesus both portray the welcome of all kinds of people from who knows where – strangers rolling in from all directions; strangers, from whom God will choose his priests and Levites.

I expect we will all be surprised who will ultimately be present in the kingdom of God; who will be last and who will be first. For salvation is a gift from God to be received, not earned – surely not presumed. And anyone who freely receives salvation will be welcomed. And the manner of reception? It is discipleship.

Many parents mourn the fact their children don’t practice the faith and their grandchildren are not baptized. Yet how many of these people and others we know cloth the naked, welcome the stranger, feed the hungry, regularly care for and visit the sick and the imprisoned, speak up for people who have no voice in society?

To follow Jesus is to live the life of Jesus whether we fall at the front or the back of the line.