Catholic Men’s Daily Devotional and Bible Study – 30th Week in Ordinary time – Wednesday – Luke 13:22-30

The Gospel reading from the Mass for Wednesday of the 30th Week of Ordinary Time is Luke 13:22-30. 

On His way toward Jerusalem, after offering several parables on the Kingdom of God, Christ responds directly to a man’s question who asks ”if many will be saved or only a few.” Christ offers the Parable of the Narrow Door in response to the question. Christ urges men to rigorously practice their faith to give themselves the best chance to be saved (to enter in the Narrow Door) for and emphatically (“I tell you”) reveals  many who were unrepentant in life and want to enter Heaven upon death won’t be saved. 

Christ (the householder) after His Resurrection (has risen up) will close Heaven (shut the door). Despite the pleading of men who were unrepentant casual Catholics (we ate and drank with you), Christ (the householder) will refuse to accept them (I do not know where you come from; depart from Me), calling them evil doers (workers of iniquity) and casting them into Hell (weeping and gnashing of teeth). 

Christ reveals that Old Testament patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob) and many Gentiles from around the world (east, west, north and south) will be accepted into great feast of Heaven (at table) and many, who assume they will be in Heaven, will not be saved. 

Awed by Jesus Christ – Son of God, Christ reveals the difficulty in entering Heaven and the existence of Hell. Divine Teacher, Christ offers the powerful and memorable Parable of the Narrow Door which continues to capture men’s attention. Divine Judge, Christ gives a glimpse of His hard-nose treatment of those who are unrepentant and casual in the faith.  

Being a Heroic Catholic Man

1) Some in the Catholic Church, even those with pedigree and power, persist in promoting the heresy that there is a “reasonable hope” that all men will enter Heaven and Hell is empty. Reread Christ’s strong words in today’s Gospel to dispel that heretical lie.  

2) Many Catholic men do not worry much about sin or holiness, either not caring or believing the lie that everybody gets to Heaven. Christ makes it clear that few enter through the Narrow Gate (to Heaven) and most go through the Wide Gate to destruction (Hell). Reflect on the Two Ways and Hell (CCC 1696, 1033-1037) and pray for Christ to help you to choose the Way of Christ. 

3) Large numbers of Catholic men are casual in their faith and almost all men go through periods of being lukewarm. Reflect on the need for continual Conversion and Penance (CCC 1427-1433) and pray for Christ to  give you the virtue of diligence so you can continually repent and zealously persevere in seeking holiness.