Sunday, August 26, 2007

Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time

We hear the terrifying parable of the Master of the house who refuses to open for those knocking on his door at the late hours. They tell him that they know him, that they ate and drank with him and followed him in the streets. But the master responds that he does not know them, and where they are from. They are left outside in the dark, rejected as complete strangers.

It is a terrifying thought, isn't it? We can assume that because we know Jesus, that is all that is needed for salvation. But there is no such thing as salvation by association. We are not saved by a simple knowledge of who Jesus Christ is, or even spending time in the company of the disciples. We need to be known by Him, too. Of course, while it is true that God knows all His creatures, this is different. The key comes in Jesus' setup of the parable - He tells the disciples to strive to enter the narrow gate - they are to work for the good, of course cooperating with God's grace in their lives. We not only need to follow Him in the streets, in the public places of our lives, but follow Him into his home, into the private recesses of our hearts where God longs to set up residence. Our reception of the Eucharist is an invitation for Christ to come in, and for us to live in communion with Him more deeply. It is an opportunity for Christ to know us through and through, by our sharing in His Body and Blood.

No, there is no salvation by association. We must be known by Christ, and we must do His will. We must, therefore, pray constantly, but not in a steady barrage of words from us to Him, begging for Him to open up to us, but rather prayer that opens us up to Him, to his gentle probing as we read in Psalm 139, our receiving His words to us. We must then respond to His will, following Him where ever He leads.

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