Reflecting on Luke 13:22-30, I talked about striving to enter the narrow gate at the 4 p.m. Mass on Sunday, Aug. 24, 2025, at the St. Francis Chapel in the Prudential Center in Boston.

Text of the homily

Oh, how much Jesus loves us! He prompts us to join our thinking to discipline and action.

In today’s Gospel, someone asks Jesus, “Lord, will only a few people be saved?”

No matter the answer, that question comes from the sidelines, a spectator, an attitude of non-involvement.

But Jesus responds with a command: “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough.” Jesus tells us not to be on the sidelines, but he urges us as St. Paul later writes, “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”

What is this narrow gate?

Jesus said in John’s Gospel: “Amen, amen, I say to you, I am the gate for the sheep.” He is the gate who opens salvation to everyone, which the first reading and the Gospel describe.

The gate is narrow because it is in the shape of Jesus on the cross. Jesus does the will of the Father and gave everything to Him.

The parts of us not belonging to Jesus (sin, hidden wounds, resentments, unforgiveness) must be surrendered to him at the cross.

The Father loves us so much that he desires to remove those hindrances. Through the words of Scripture they are exposed in our hearts during our prayer. Once exposed, they can be given to Jesus, who can then say, “You are already made clean by the word which I have spoken to you.”

This surrender requires us to develop discipline, which entails stretching, struggling and growing, in this path of love and self-knowledge.

We Christians balk at discipline for our spirituality because we bowed down to the idol of comfort. The world sells us on convenience when we buy the latest gadgets and drugs, we watch and comment online, we do the minimum at work and we undergo the surgeon’s knife for appearance and conformity.

Yet why do we admire athletes and musicians who train and shine at their craft? Because their excellence attracts us. Why do we spend hours and money at the gym, yoga studio and conferences? We know that some struggle and discipline bring good results.

The Letter to the Hebrews says, “At the time, all discipline seems a cause not for joy but for pain, yet later it brings the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who are trained by it.”

What are the spiritual fruits or the results of our Christian discipline? Love and union with God; joy, harmony and peace in ourselves and with others; the resurrection of the body; and the life of the world to come.

Therefore, the question should not be “how many will be saved?” Rather, the question should be “are we working and walking toward God right now?” If not, ask the Holy Spirit to give you the grace and desire to do it.

Jesus warns that mere association with him will not be enough: “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.’ ”

These words are meant to encourage, not discourage. With grace and discipline, we can attain eternal live because Jesus invites us with his command: “Strive to enter through the narrow gate.”