21st Sunday Ordinary Time August 24, 2025

Readings: Is 66:18-21; Heb 12:11-13; Lk 12:22-30

This Sunday, the church reminds us of the reunion of all God’s people at the feast of His kingdom. It is not only Jews and Christians that the Lord will gather unto himself. He will also gather people from all nations, all those willing to submit to his loving care.

The first reading the prophet makes three essential points. The first is that God will soon fulfill his promise of restoring us to himself. He will surely do this to show his saving power. The second is the fact that God has a purpose for this gathering. This is for the glory of his name. In other words, every work he does has the remote aim of giving glory to him. Third, in addition to gathering us unto Himself, God will also make us his ambassadors to other nations. Hence, he promises, “I will give them a sign and send some of their survivors to the nations…that have never heard of me or seen my glory.”

The second reading from Hebrews reminds us that obedience and discipline will help us respond and effectively return to the Lord. The path to this return will definitively not be an easy one. In it, we shall encounter thorns and pains. As a loving father, God will also reprimand and punish us. However, this is in order to correct and guide us through the right path.

In today’s gospel, Jesus answers a challenging and tricky question: Sir, will there be only a few saved? His response was straightforward, clever, and of course, an intelligent one. He replies, “Try your best to enter by the narrow door!” So, rather than occupy oneself with arguments about the number of those to be saved, it is better to work hard for one’s salvation.

Through this, Christ reminds us that the invitation to His feast is open to all. However, each person must struggle to be there. We must do what we have to do by playing our roles well. This is the only way we can be guaranteed a place in the feast of the kingdom of God.

Fr. Terry