The Narrow Gate

This sequency of sayings is very hard to deal with.

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. How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few. Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves. By their fruits you will know them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Just so, every good tree bears good fruit, and a rotten tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. So by their fruits you will know them. Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?' Then I will declare to them solemnly, 'I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.'

Matthew 7:13-23

But what is the fruit by which we are to judge? Obviously it is not prophesy, it is not driving out demons in the name of Jesus, and it is not acknowledging Jesus as Lord, for he says that even the damned call him 'Lord'. In fact Jesus implies that these false prophets believed they were doing his will and expected to be saved! How can I be sure that my hope for salvation is any more valid than theirs?

There's a further enigma in his response to the false prophets. "I never knew you." At first gloss I read it as "You never knew me." But no. What can we do to change how well an omnipotent God knows us? We can only present ourselves to him on a regular basis. (mass, adoration)

How transient are the concerns of this life, compared to such danger, as if the whole universe were being sucked down a drain with the bath water. Swiftly and inexorably the last bits of this life are wrapping up...

It is incredible that Jesus says those who find the narrow gate are "few". What a devastating remark, and it is spoken with such surety. And by one who has reason to know. Devastating. How the mind of modernity rejects such a claim!

The chapter ends thusly:

When Jesus finished these words, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.

Yeah.