30th Wed. Narrow Path - Few Will Be Saved

 Today many believe everyone goes to heaven. But that contradicts the words of Jesus in today’s Gospel. In fact, we have very sobering words from Our Savior.

Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few people be saved?” He answered them, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough. After the master of the house has arisen and locked the door, then will you stand outside knocking and saying, ‘Lord, open the door for us.’ He will say to you in reply, ‘I do not know where you are from. 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. Depart from me, all you evildoers!’ And there will be wailing and grinding of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God and you yourselves cast out.”

What are these people doing wrong if they ate and drank with Him and listened to Him teaching in their streets? Why would they be cast out?

There are two kinds of people that Jesus could be talking about. The first group liked to listen to Jesus and enjoyed being with Him, but they refused to do anything He said. The other group are those who do what Jesus asks, but in their heart they have unrepentant serious sin. So their works mean nothing.

What Jesus is speaking about today is the virtue of religion. The virtue of religion means the person is not only going through the motions and doing exterior “good things”, but more importantly their heart and mind are united to their actions. 

So the narrow way is not only actions, but the state of the soul in our heart. 

We need to have the proper motives and to do what we do out love and not to be noticed or praised. Some perform good works to be seen or to receive praise, rather than having the proper motive of doing it out of love of God and neighbor.

Here are some quotes from some saints about the narrow gate that are astonishing. St. Francis Xavier said, 'Ah, how many souls lose Heaven and are cast into Hell!'

St. Leonard of Port Maurice said, 'Our chronicles relate an even more dreadful happening. One of our brothers, well-known for his doctrine and holiness, was preaching in Germany. He represented the ugliness of the sin of impurity-- so forceful that a woman fell dead of sorrow in front of everyone. Then, coming back to life, the woman said, "When I was presented before the Tribunal of God, sixty thousand people arrived at the same time from all parts of the world; out of that number, three were saved by going to Purgatory, and all the rest were damned.'

Pope Saint Gregory the Great said, 'There are many who arrive at the faith, but few that are led into the heavenly kingdom.'

Saint Jacinta Marto of Fatima said, 'So many people are going to die, and almost all of them are going to Hell! So many people falling into hell!'

St. Augustine said, 'It is certain that few are saved.'

St. Justin the martyr said, 'The majority of men shall not see God, excepting those who live justly, purified by righteousness and by every other virtue.'

Sister Lucia of Fatima said, 'Taking into account the behavior of mankind, only a small part of the human race will be saved”.

St. Benedict Labore said, 'Yes, indeed, many will be damned; few will be saved.'

St. Anthony Mary Claret said, 'A multitude of souls fall into the depths of Hell, and it is of the faith that all who die in mortal sin are condemned for ever and ever. According to statistics, approximately 80,000 persons die every day. How many of these will die in mortal sin, and how many will be condemned! For, as their lives have been, so also will be their end.'

St. Regimius of Rheims said, “With the exception of those who die in childhood, most men will be damned.

St. Vincent Ferrer, St. Philip Neri, St. John of the Cross, St. John Vianney, St. Alphonsus Ligouri, St. Louis Marie de Montfort, Ven. Mary Agreda, and many others say the majority go to hell and few are saved.

With these sobering words from the saints, let us strive to unite our heart to our actions to practice the virtue of religion to follow that the narrow path to have a repentant heart filled with grace and love.

We cannot judge the other heart of another person, but we can see by their actions, we need to pray for them.

May these words cause us to pray for the conversion of sinners, offer sacrifices for them, and for us frequent the sacraments of confession and Holy Communion, in this way we will choose the narrow road trusting if we persevere to the end, we will be counted with the few and not the many who will be lost.  All of us are human, we are all sinners, but we trust in God's mercy as the psalm for today said, "My hope O Lord, is in your mercy." 

O Jesus, our savior, we can do nothing good without your help and grace. Help us to always be faithful to you in our words, our actions and in our heart and we entrust our self to the Virgin Mary, as St. Anslem said, 'It is impossible to be saved if we turn away from thee, O Mary.'