Wednesday 30 October 2024

Today is Wednesday the 30th of October in the 30th week of Ordinary Time. Paul Zach sings, ‘Nothing to Fear’. As you listen, allow yourself to be comforted by God. When you pass through the waters I will be with you And the depths of the river shall not overwhelm When you walk through the fire you will not be burned I am the Lord, I am the Lord And there is nothing to fear, nothing to fear There is nothing to fear, nothing to fear For I am with you always In the depths of your sorrow I wept beside you When you walked through the shadow I drew you near And yesterday, today, tomorrow, always the same I am the Lord, I am the Lord And there is nothing to fear, nothing to fear There is nothing to fear, nothing to fear For I am with you always And there is nothing to fear, nothing to fear There is nothing to fear, nothing to fear For I am with you always What can separate you from My perfect Love What can separate you from My perfect Love What can separate you from My perfect Love Do not fear Do not fear Do not fear Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Luke. Luke 13:22-30 Jesus went through one town and village after another, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. Someone asked him, ‘Lord, will only a few be saved?’ He said to them, ‘Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able. When once the owner of the house has got up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, “Lord, open to us”, then in reply he will say to you, “I do not know where you come from.” Then you will begin to say, “We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.” But he will say, “I do not know where you come from; go away from me, all you evildoers!” There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrown out. Then people will come from east and west, from north and south, and will eat in the kingdom of God. Indeed, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.’ Someone asked him, ‘Lord will only a few be saved?’ and Jesus replies with an illustration of entering the kingdom of God being like going through a narrow door. Try to picture this door. What colour is it? Just how narrow is it? It might seem a harsh and perhaps chilling image to see people knocking on this door and being rejected, but nevertheless Jesus encourages his followers to strive to enter it. So, take a moment to imagine that you are knocking on the door. Picture now, the door being opened for you, how do you feel… delighted, relieved, surprised, or something else? … What is it like to be invited to step over the threshold? As you hear the reading again, try to picture the followers of Jesus as they hear this message for the first time. Imagine their reactions... ‘People will come from east, and west and north and south and eat in the kingdom of God’. Return to your picture of stepping across the threshold of the narrow door. End your prayer time today, thanking God for his presence with you. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.