THIRTIETH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Wednesday

Year I

Readings

First Reading
Rom 8:26–30

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 13:4–5, 6

Gospel
Lk 13:22–30

Meditation on Today’s Readings

Taken from the Vatican II Sunday and Weekday Missal
Written by Celia Sirois

As often happens in the Gospels, Jesus turns the question of an interested bystander into a dire warning as he goes about his work en route to Jerusalem. Grammatically, the question does not read, “Will only a few people be saved?” in the future, but “Are only a few people being saved?” (sōzomenoi) here and now. In answer, Jesus warns that occasionally sharing his table or listening to his teaching does not satisfy the demands of true discipleship, a rigorous rite of passage through a notoriously “narrow gate.”

Jesus’ answer evokes an image from the Hebrew prophets, who often described the messianic age as a banquet where scattered Israel would be assembled from east and west, from north and south. Here Jesus, the messianic prophet, warns those who rely on cheap grace that they may not be admitted. The household code from Ephesians issues the same warning to Christian masters who are called, with their slaves, to the same heavenly table of the one Master, for “with him there is no partiality.” And Paul reminds the Romans that the Spirit groans within them, like hunger pains, for the promised banquet of eternal life.

The copyright for the Sunday Missal Introductions is:
Copyright (c) 2001, Daughters of St. Paul
The copyright for the Weekday Missal Introduction is:
Copyright (c) 2002, Daughters of St. Paul