A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew
Jesus said to his disciples: “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.”
Jesus continues to teach the disciples about the conditions of discipleship in this earthly life that lead to eternal life in heaven. In teaching them the Golden Rule—“Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.”—Jesus shows the disciples the way to live day to day in this life. In the analogy of the narrow gate and the broad road, Jesus guides the disciples to the way that leads to the fullness of God’s love and glory. Choosing the narrow gate of salvation—to imitate Christ today and every day—is not easy, but it is the only path that leads to eternal life.
God, as the day unfolds, I will have brought before me more paths than I can choose and more decisions heaped on me than I wish to make. Help me today find the narrow gate that leads to life. I want to remember throughout the day that you are with me. I think of part of the prayer known as Saint Patrick’s Breastplate: “Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left.” Give me the grace today to stay within the confines of Christ as I move forward through the day.
From the Gospel acclamation: “I am the light of the world, says the Lord; whoever follows me will have the light of life.”
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.