C: 21st Sun of OrdTime (25 Aug 2019) - BEWARE OF THE WIDE ROAD (Lk 13:22-30)

“‘Relax,’ says the night man, ‘We are programmed to receive. You can check out any time you like but you can never leave’.” This is the popular line of the immortal 1977 bestselling song of the Eagles entitled “Hotel California”. The song uses the allusion of the infernal realm to describe the inn: “This could be heaven or this could be hell”. There the beast’s mischievous chorus is deafening especially on account of the immense number guests fooled to be lured in. The song may be realistically referring to Californian drug addiction in the 70’s, yet employs enigmatically the image of hell to convey it.

Indeed, hell is consistently described in several illustrations (paintings, literature, films, etc.) as a place that can be easily accessed. The road toward it is wide, for it is via an easy, comfortable and enjoyable path. Its gates are always wide-opened and tempting to the visceral appetite. Accordingly, in describing the idea of width, the Hebrew language uses the word “rahab” which would refer mostly to open spaces such as a town square or open plaza (e.g., Gen 19:2; Judg 19:15). Interestingly, in the Book of Joshua, the town of Jericho’s infamous prostitute/sinner was named Rahab (cf. 2:1, 3; 6:17, 23, 25). In a way, the Old Testament explicitly equates the concept of wideness with sin and immorality.

This notion is sustained by Jesus in the New Testament, particularly in our gospel today, when he says: “Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able (Lk 13:24)”. These words are actually Jesus’ rejoinder to the question raised by someone: “Lord, will only a few be saved?” (v. 23). Sadly, Jesus’ realistic answer is that it would only be a few since many would prefer the wide gate or the easy way of life over it. When these people will soon realize their mistakes, the owner of the house (i.e., God the Father in heaven) will deny them entry: “I do not know where you come from; go away from me, all you evildoers!” (v. 27). We recall here a similar resistance given by Noah when his unbelieving and evil countrymen sought entry into the ark as the rain had begun to flood the earth (cf. Mt 24:37-38; Lk 17:27; Heb 11:7); only 8 persons were saved that time (cf. 1 Pet 3:20; 2 Pet 2:5).

The Bible, hence, teaches us a simple formula in knowing whether we are presently into the path of heaven: we are tracking the narrow way or, simply put, the road less traveled by the greater population This entails practicing regularly values and virtues, doing mortifications from mundane passions, performing selfless sacrifices for others, and witnessing religiously to the message of the Gospel. Otherwise, if we are always experiencing the easy way of life, we are in the path of the wide road or, simply put, the merrymaking and egocentric ways of the world. This includes preferring always one’s self-interest and comfort, displaying greediness in material possessions and public attention, avoiding pain and suffering almost always, satisfying one’s carnal passions and indulging to illicit activities as long as they are pleasurable.

We all know that what is implied by the wide road is hell. No one has been recorded as having come out of hell to reveal to us what is happening there. However, the Blessed Virgin Mary in her revelation of the so-called First Secret of Fatima gave Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta on July 13, 1917 a momentary glimpse of the real pangs of hell. Lucia described the vision lucidly in her memoirs: “Plunged in this fire were demons and souls in human form, like transparent burning embers, all blackened or burnished bronze, floating about in the conflagration, now raised into the air by the flames that issued from within themselves together with great clouds of smoke now falling back on every side like sparks in huge fires, without weight or equilibrium, amid shrieks and groans of pain and despair, which horrified us and made us tremble with fear.”

The Church doctrine of hell is not to scare us, but to warn us of the possible consequences of our actions here on earth. May we begin painstakingly to strive to enter through the narrow door lest we remorse our negligence fatefully one day.

- Rex Fortes, CM