21st Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C –
August 24, 2025
Isaiah 66:18-21; Hebrews 12:5-7,
11-13; Luke 13:22-30
Theme: All Are Called to Strive to Enter the Kingdom
of God
A. A
Brief Exegetical Analysis of Luke 13:22-30
1.
Historical and Literary Contexts
In
chapter 13, where our Gospel passage is taken from, Luke illustrates Jesus’
teachings with miracles and parables related to the kingdom of God. Just before
our story, Jesus compared the kingdom of God to a mustard seed planted in a
garden (13:18-19) and to yeast mixed with three measures of wheat flour
(13:20-21). In our text, Luke emphasizes that both Gentiles and Jews must
strive to enter the kingdom of God. The stories about Herod’s desire to kill
Jesus (13:31-33) and Jesus’ lament over Jerusalem (13:34-35) immediately follow
our passage and conclude chapter 13.
2.
Form, Structure, and Movement
This
narrative includes sayings that can be seen as parables. The setting in v. 22
functions as an introduction, and Jesus’ statement in v. 30 about “Some are
last who will be first, and some are first who will be last,” serves as a
conclusion. Jesus’ various sayings and teachings in vv. 23-29 form the core of
the text.
3.
Detailed Analysis
V.
22. Luke reminds his readers of Jesus’ final trip to Jerusalem, which he first
announced in 9:51. This reminder is important because it clarifies the context
of all Jesus’ teachings in this travel narrative (9:51-19:27), especially those
in our passage.
Vv.
23b-29. The question about whether a few people will be saved comes from an
unnamed man, indicating that this was a common concern at the time. Jesus
indirectly addresses this question through three brief parables, showing that
“Restrictions to entering the kingdom do not lie with God but with the human
response to the divine invitation.”[1]
The
first parable is about the narrow door (v. 24). The Greek word for “strive” is
agonizomai, which means “strenuous exercise of muscle and power.” Here, Jesus
says that the gate to the kingdom is narrow; therefore, it takes strenuous
effort to enter. This effort involves repentance from sins (cf. 13:1-5) and
“cultivating” and “fertilizing” one’s spiritual life to produce good fruit (cf.
13:6-9).
The
second parable concerns believers who delay their repentance. They will find
the door to the kingdom locked by Jesus. When they ask him to open the door, he
will reply that he does not know them. Their arguments about eating and
drinking with Jesus and being witnesses to his teachings in their streets will
not be enough to persuade him to open the door (vv. 25-28). This parable
alludes to the end of time, affirming that no one knows when it will happen and
that both eternal condemnation and eternal salvation are real (see v. 28).
Believers eager to inherit God’s kingdom are warned to avoid delaying their
repentance and neglecting their spiritual lives. This is because the “narrow
door” will not stay open forever but will close unexpectedly.
V. 30. The Bible describes the Jews as
God’s first chosen people and the Gentiles as the last. This sequence relates
to repentance and a relationship with God, not entry into the heavenly kingdom.
The criteria for entering God's kingdom depend on who believes and repents in
time, not on whether they were called first or last. The first part of Jesus’
final statement, “some are last who will be first," refers to the
Gentiles, the last God’s chosen, who, because of their repentance and faith in
Jesus, became first in God’s kingdom. The second part, “some are first who will
be last,” refers to the Jews, whom God called first, but because they did not
repent and believe in Jesus, they became last in God’s kingdom.
4.
Synthesis
This
passage clarifies that the responsibility for salvation depends on how humans
respond to the divine invitation. Believers should make diligent efforts to
repent and nurture their spiritual lives to inherit God’s kingdom. They should
remember that delays are not tolerated, as this narrow gate will not stay open
forever but will close unexpectedly. Additionally, being Jews, Gentiles,
disciples, or baptized Christians does not automatically guarantee eternal
salvation. Everyone must strive in the same way, which means they must believe
in Jesus and repent to be saved.
B. Pastoral
Implications
1.
Liturgical Context
“Better
safe than sorry.” Today, everyone prioritizes safety. We save money and
contribute to Social Security. Our cars, homes, and lives are all insured. When
we drive, we carefully buckle our seat belts. We know how to protect our
physical lives, but what about our eternal salvation, which is our ultimate
safety? This Sunday’s scripture readings discuss what it takes to enter the
kingdom of God. In the first reading, God promises to gather all nations and
tongues, including the Jews in exile, to see his glory. In the Gospel, Jesus
confirms this universality of salvation, but clarifies that all people,
including Jews, Gentiles, disciples, and simple believers, must strive in the
same way to enter the kingdom of God. To strive means to take advantage of everything
that leads us to repentance and the observance of Jesus and the Church’s
teachings, such as enduring our trials as “discipline” from God, as Saint Paul
urges us in our second reading.
2.
What the Church Teaches Us Today
In
the Gospel, an unnamed person asks Jesus a question, seeking to know whether
only a few people will be saved. Jesus responds indirectly with three parables
in succession. The first parable is about the narrow door (V. 24). In this
parable, Jesus asserts that the door to the kingdom of God is narrow, so we
must strive to be saved. We need to examine our lives and ask ourselves if we
truly put forth the effort necessary for our ultimate safety, which is eternal
salvation. This effort includes consistently using the sacrament of confession
to repent from our sins (see Luke 13:1-5) and attending Mass regularly to
"cultivate" and "fertilize" our spiritual lives so that we
can bear good fruit (see Luke 13:6-9).
The
second parable (vv. 25-28) concerns believers who delay in repenting. It points
to the end of time, stating that no one knows when it will happen and that both
eternal condemnation and eternal salvation are real (see v. 28). We, who are
eager to inherit God’s kingdom, are warned not to delay in making the decision
to always maintain perfect relationships with Jesus and our brothers and
sisters through the sacraments, especially those of penance (confession) and
the Eucharist (Mass). Jesus tells us that the “narrow door” to God’s kingdom
will not stay open forever but will close unexpectedly. Therefore, let us take
advantage of everything that brings us to repentance and adheres to Jesus and
the Church’s teachings, including enduring our trials as “discipline” from God,
as the author of the letter to the Hebrews urges us in our second reading. He
reminds us that sometimes God disciplines those he loves to guide them toward
repentance. Thus, we should not disdain, lose heart, or ignore the Lord’s
discipline when we are corrected, but instead endure and use this opportunity
to strengthen our relationship with him (see Heb 12:5-7). It is better to be
“disciplined by God” now and repent than to find the “narrow door” of heaven
already locked.
The
third parable (v. 29) warns us not to have pretensions as God’s chosen people
and baptized Christians, believing that our salvation is already secured, and therefore,
we do not need to make any effort. No one has a prescriptive right to God’s
kingdom by birth or any other external criterion. The conditions of repentance
and observance of Jesus and the Church’s teachings apply to everyone, including
Jews and Gentiles, priests and lay Christians, old and young people, and
parents and children. Eternal salvation is for all, as the prophet Isaiah prophesied
in our first reading. God promises to gather all nations and tongues so that
they may see his glory. Everyone must strive equally to enter the new gate of
the kingdom of God.
May
the liturgy of this Mass inspire us to continually strive for our ultimate
safety, which is eternal salvation. Amen.
Rev. Leon Ngandu, SVD
Pastor of Holy Family
Catholic Church, Jackson, MS &
SVD USS Biblical Apostolate
Coordinator
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