Year C 21st Sunday in Ordinary time

Is.66:18-21; Heb.12:5-7, 11-13; Lk.13:22-30
Dear brothers and sisters
Someone asked a difficult question to Jesus, "Lord, are those who are to be saved few in number?" (Lk 13:23).
Based on God's unique relationship with the people of Israel as presented in
the Old Testament, salvation is almost always understood as collective and national, not personal and individual. Thus, the Lord hears the cries of the children of Israel and delivers them from bondage.
Judaism believes that in the same way that the Lord saved the children of Israel in the past as a nation, He also promises to restore Israel as a nation, meaning collectively, not individually. This is the way that rabbinic literature understands every prophetic passage that deals with Israel's restoration, especially passages like Jeremiah 31:31 which clearly states that the New Covenant will be made "with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah." Again, this restoration is collective and national.
The salvation of the individual Jew was connected to the salvation of the entire people. This belief stemmed directly from the teachings of the Torah. In the Torah, God taught his people sanctification of the individual. However, he also expected them to function together (spiritually) and be accountable to one another. At the same time they placed a high value on individual morality as defined in the law of God — embodied in what Jews knew as the Torah or the Law, given to Moses by God on Mount Sinai. But this was meant only for the chosen people – the Jews. They looked down on contempt on anyone who wasn't Jewish and did not follow the law.
Jesus declares that entry into the Kingdom of God can never be automatic but is the result and reward of a struggle.
We are born into a Christian family; received baptism, confirmation, Holy Communion and sacrament of reconciliation, and brought up in Christian civilization.  A man who lives in the Christian civilization is not necessarily a Christian. The Christian way is like a climb up a mountain pathway toward a peak. It was inscribed on the grave of an Alpine guide who had died on the mountain-side, "He died climbing." For a Christian, life is ever an upward and an onward way.
Secondly, there will be surprises in the Kingdom of God. Those who are very prominent in this world may have to be very humble in the next; those whom no one notices here may be the princes of the world to come.
The Bible story of Lazarus and the rich man is a well-known parable of Jesus found in the Gospel of Luke. There was a wealthy man, who lived a life of extravagant luxury. Laying outside the entrance of this rich man's house was an exceptionally unfortunate man called Lazarus who only hoped "to eat what fell from the rich man's table" (Lk 16:21). The rich man was very unsympathetic to the dilemma of Lazarus, offering him no love, help, or compassion.
The time came when Lazarus died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.'
"But Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.
There is a story of a woman who had been used to every luxury and to all respect. She died, and when she arrived in heaven, an angel was sent to conduct her to her house. They passed many a lovely mansion and the woman thought that each one, as they came to it, must be the one allotted to her. When they had passed through the main streets they came to the outskirts where the houses were much smaller; and on the very fringe they came to a house which was little more than a hut. "That is your house," said the angel. The woman said, “I cannot live in that." The angel said, “I am sorry, but that is all we could build for you with the materials you sent up.
Jesus tells us that there are many people who will be qualifying themselves to enter heaven: "Then people will come from east and west, from north and south, and will eat in the kingdom of God." With these words, Jesus was confirming the prophecy of Isaiah, contained in the first reading.
How did they qualify themselves to enter heaven: "Thus says the Lord: 'For I know their works and their thoughts, and I am coming to gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come and shall see my glory" (Is 66:18). These are the people who 'Strive to enter through the narrow door' (Lk 13:24) as Jesus said.
The narrow door is symbolic of the hardships of life for those who follow Jesus. It is symbolic of accepting poverty. It is symbolic of a charitable heart. It is symbolic of forgiving others. It is symbolic of being patient and humble. God's grace will rest on us when we are able to cherish these values.
A man dies and goes to heaven. Of course, St. Peter meets him at the pearly gates. St. Peter says, "Here's how it works. You need 100 points to make it into heaven. You tell me all the good things you've done, and I give you a certain number of points for each item, depending on how good it was. When you reach 100 points, you get in."
"Okay," the man says, "I was married to the same woman for 50 years and never cheated on her, even in my heart."
"That's wonderful," says St. Peter, "that's worth three points!"
"Three points?" he says. "Well, I attended church all my life and supported its ministry with my tithe and service."
"Terrific!" says St. Peter, "that's certainly worth a point."
"One point? Golly. How about this: I started a soup kitchen in my city and worked in a shelter for homeless veterans."
"Fantastic, that's good for two more points," he says.
"TWO POINTS!!" the man cries, "At this rate the only way I get into heaven is by the grace of God!"
Then Peter Said, "Come on in!"
The good works that we do should be supported by the grace of God. Then all our works will have meaning. We will be among the people who will come from east and west, from north and south, and will eat in the kingdom of God."
Satish