Reading: 2Kings 19:9-11.14-21.31-36; Ps.48; Matt. 7:6,12-14
Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia
LEARN TO AVOID THE WIDE AND CAPTIVATING ROADS OF THIS PASSING WORLD FOR THEY ARE DESTRUCTIVE
Life is a temporal assignment, a journey which begins in the morning so beautiful, full of expectations and hope, but the sojourner does not know his/her destination, purpose and end. The only guide is his/ her willingness to constantly follow the directives of the Sender who communicates his plans and purposes to those who care and are willing to listen.
Thus, this emptiness and shortness of life makes me reflect on my future as a human person and the question that comes to my mind is: “Where will you and I, and the beautiful things of this world be in the next one, ten, twenty, forty, eighty and hundred years for those who are strong? The deep silence in my soul could not offer me any answer to this question rather, it exposed me to the foolishness of human greediness, corruption and selfishness. Hence, I asked myself what does God really require from us in this world? And how can we really identify the path we are called to follow?
I found a consoling answer to this question in our Gospel passage today, where Jesus said “Always treat others as you would like them to treat you; that is the meaning of the Law and the Prophets.” And He added, “Enter by the narrow gate, since the road that leads to destruction is wide and spacious, and many are following it; but narrow is the gate and hard is the road that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”
Here, Jesus described how humanity has failed to embrace the life of truth, holiness and love for God and for one another seems difficult and narrow to them but prefer to follow the destructive ways of life that are born out of pride, greed and uncontrollable desire for worldly things, as things of this passing world are so captivating and many people are captured by its seductive power and are greatly following it.
This is exactly what happened to King Sennacherib of Assyria in our first reading, who out of pride and greed, blasphemed against God before the walls of Jerusalem, as he mocked God and the people of Israel, referring to their faith and hope in God as being useless and meaningless. Then the people turned to God in deep prayer and the Lord reassured them, from King Hezekiah through prophet Isaiah, that despite all the power and the vast armies King Sennacherib possessed, he would never conquer nor achieve his desire, for he would soon meet his just end because of all the sins that he had committed against God and His people. So his pride, greed and sins led to his downfall and damnation, calling us to reflect on our own lives and actions.
Dear friends, life is indeed very short and the road that leads to death and destruction is truly wide and very captivating, of which many are captives of its seductive power. But the road to life is becoming narrower more and more because humanity is working so hard to expand the seductive road and gates of destruction against the narrow gate of life.
Therefore, to embrace the narrow gate and road that leads to eternal life, we must work harder by resisting all the temptations and sinful things of this passing world and embrace the life of love and sacrifice which Jesus has offered us. Let us turn towards God with all our hearts by removing from our hearts all forms of pride, greed and unhealthy desires that lead us astray down the path of destruction.
LET US PRAY: O God, our journey of life depends on you and today you have called us to follow the narrow gate of love and sacrifice. But the seductive road of this passing world is captivating and many are victims of its power, grant us the grace to resist it but journey through the path and gate that leads to eternal life, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. May God bless your little efforts in life and guide you always.
