Entering Through the Narrow Gate
The world tells us there are many paths to take. "Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, and sorry I could not travel both." Those are the opening words to Robert Frost's The Road Not Taken. Sometimes we are faced with that same decision. We come to a place where there are two possible paths to take, and we must decide which to take. Both may take us to different destinations or it may take us to the same destination - we do not know. But we must make a decision.
Jesus told His disciples to "enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many" (Mt. 7:13). Why the narrow gate? Why does the wide gate and broad road lead to destruction? I do not have the answer to that. I just know that Jesus said He is the way, the truth, and the life, and those even at the time of Jesus's earthly life rejected Him. So, since Jesus is the way, and many have rejected Him and all that He said, then those who are to follow the way, the truth, and the life will be rejected. This world teaches us that things can be very easy - just follow your heart and do what you feel like. But sometimes our heart and what we feel are misguided and are painted by the lies of the world. So maybe that is why the gate to life is narrow and the road to joy, constricted. Because we find that the gate the world led us through does not lead to life and that the road the world pointed us to does not lead to joy. And truly, "those who enter through it are many." God wants us to live, to live fully and joyfully, but sometimes we are blinded to what is truly fully alive and enduringly joyful. When we come to experience and realize this, when our deepest desire (to live, to love, to be loved) cannot be found in what we are doing or where we are at, then perhaps we will look up and see the sign the points to the narrow gate and the constricted road. But, here again we must make a decision.
"How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few" (Mt. 7:14). Do we want to go through that narrow gate and walk along that constricted road? We know it will be difficult and challenging. The path may be rocky, muddy, slippery, and uneven. We will ask ourselves why must it be this way? Why does God make it this way? The truth is that God did not make it that way. The world did, and we bought into the what the world told us. And so, the gate to life and the road to joy will be difficult because we will have to unlearn all the lies that the world has taught us about life, joy, truth, and love. And the process to unlearn is strenuous, and it will be at times difficult like withdrawal, but as long as we keep our eye set on the destination - life and joy - we will be strengthened and renewed. God will give us the graces we will need to walk this path. Soon the road will seem less constricted and less narrow. That is when we have come to know what love really is and what it is like to be truly loved. When those difficulties and challenges are met with joy and peace, and even a smile, then we will know that we are indeed on the path of life and the road to joy.
In the same poem, Robert Frost ends with "two roads diverged in a wood, and I - I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference." So too with our own lives. Will we take the road less taken and enter through the narrow gate and walk along the constricted road? It may seem daunting at first, but when we do, we will come to one day see that by doing so, it "has made all the difference." Let us be among the few who finds this gate and road, and lead others to it.
Father, remove the scales that blind my eyes from seeing the truth. Help me unlearn the lies the world has taught me. Teach me to choose true love and true life. Give me the grace and desire to want to walk through the narrow gate and along the constricted road to life. Grant unto me too the grace to trust that You will walk with me.
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Jesus told His disciples to "enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many" (Mt. 7:13). Why the narrow gate? Why does the wide gate and broad road lead to destruction? I do not have the answer to that. I just know that Jesus said He is the way, the truth, and the life, and those even at the time of Jesus's earthly life rejected Him. So, since Jesus is the way, and many have rejected Him and all that He said, then those who are to follow the way, the truth, and the life will be rejected. This world teaches us that things can be very easy - just follow your heart and do what you feel like. But sometimes our heart and what we feel are misguided and are painted by the lies of the world. So maybe that is why the gate to life is narrow and the road to joy, constricted. Because we find that the gate the world led us through does not lead to life and that the road the world pointed us to does not lead to joy. And truly, "those who enter through it are many." God wants us to live, to live fully and joyfully, but sometimes we are blinded to what is truly fully alive and enduringly joyful. When we come to experience and realize this, when our deepest desire (to live, to love, to be loved) cannot be found in what we are doing or where we are at, then perhaps we will look up and see the sign the points to the narrow gate and the constricted road. But, here again we must make a decision.
"How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few" (Mt. 7:14). Do we want to go through that narrow gate and walk along that constricted road? We know it will be difficult and challenging. The path may be rocky, muddy, slippery, and uneven. We will ask ourselves why must it be this way? Why does God make it this way? The truth is that God did not make it that way. The world did, and we bought into the what the world told us. And so, the gate to life and the road to joy will be difficult because we will have to unlearn all the lies that the world has taught us about life, joy, truth, and love. And the process to unlearn is strenuous, and it will be at times difficult like withdrawal, but as long as we keep our eye set on the destination - life and joy - we will be strengthened and renewed. God will give us the graces we will need to walk this path. Soon the road will seem less constricted and less narrow. That is when we have come to know what love really is and what it is like to be truly loved. When those difficulties and challenges are met with joy and peace, and even a smile, then we will know that we are indeed on the path of life and the road to joy.
In the same poem, Robert Frost ends with "two roads diverged in a wood, and I - I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference." So too with our own lives. Will we take the road less taken and enter through the narrow gate and walk along the constricted road? It may seem daunting at first, but when we do, we will come to one day see that by doing so, it "has made all the difference." Let us be among the few who finds this gate and road, and lead others to it.
Father, remove the scales that blind my eyes from seeing the truth. Help me unlearn the lies the world has taught me. Teach me to choose true love and true life. Give me the grace and desire to want to walk through the narrow gate and along the constricted road to life. Grant unto me too the grace to trust that You will walk with me.
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| The Broad and the Narrow Way; Der Breite und de Schmale Weg |
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