The gospel for Tuesday of the twelfth week of ordinary time is taken from Matthew, seventh chapter, sixth verse, and the twelfth of the fourteenth verse. Jesus said to his disciples, do not give what is holy to dogs or throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them underfoot and turn and tear you to pieces. Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. This is the law and the prophets 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 constricted the road that leads to life and those who find it are few. These remarks are made to Jesus disciples when they’re going out and trying to call people into the teaching of Jesus. And so he tells them not to waste your time with people with closed minds. And then he goes on and says, you know, you are changing the way people understand. My Father, my God, the law and the prophets have always asked people to do what they’re told and to earn salvation. But the teaching of Jesus is radically different.

He goes on to say and teach very clearly that the only way that you can be saved is to allow God to save you, to free you of your sins, to enter into you and change your life. It’s not something earned, it’s a gift that has to be received. Please ponder this reflection and I’ll close with a prayer. Sat. Sat. Sa.

Sat. Sam. Sa. Father, keep us from working too hard to fix ourselves or fix other people. Help us to simply trust that we are in a process of transformation, guided by not only your grace within us, your presence, but also with things that are not always what we expect. And we ask this in Jesus name, Amen.