Gospel in Art: Try your best to enter by the narrow door

Narrow road of virtue and wide road of sin, by Jan Micker, 1660 © Warsaw National Museum / Alamy

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 30 October 2024
Luke 13:22-30

Through towns and villages Jesus went teaching, making his way to Jerusalem. Someone said to him, 'Sir, will there be only a few saved?' He said to them, 'Try your best to enter by the narrow door, because, I tell you, many will try to enter and will not succeed.

'Once the master of the house has got up and locked the door, you may find yourself knocking on the door, saying, "Lord, open to us" but he will answer, "I do not know where you come from." Then you will find yourself saying, "We once ate and drank in your company; you taught in our streets" but he will reply, "I do not know where you come from. Away from me, all you wicked men!"

'Then there will be weeping and grinding of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves turned outside. And men from east and west, from north and south, will come to take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God.

'Yes, there are those now last who will be first, and those now first who will be last.'

Reflection on the painting

In the Gospels, people frequently ask Jesus questions, and we encounter one such question in this morning's reading: "Lord, will only a few be saved?" The question probes whether the great banquet of eternal life is reserved for only a select few or open to many. Jesus does not give a straightforward answer. Instead, He reveals something about both God and ourselves. He assures us that God's hospitality is vast and generous. At the feast in God's kingdom, people will come from the North, South, East, and West. This is not an exclusive gathering, but a celebration for people from all corners of the world. In essence, Jesus' response to the question, "Will only a few be saved?" is "no."

However, Jesus also makes it clear that we should not take God's generous hospitality for granted. It should not lead to complacency. He calls us to strive to enter through the narrow door, which requires effort and commitment on our part. Furthermore, we cannot simply approach God on our own terms, like the man in the parable who arrived late at a locked house, expecting to be let in despite the hour. We need a sense of urgency in our response to God's invitation. Yet, the effort we make and the urgency we feel need not cause anxiety or fear, because we know that God's table is vast, his heart is welcoming, and if we turn to him in our need, the Lord will guide us through the narrow door.

In Jan Micker's painting, circa 1660, we see the wide gate on the right, which initially appears to be the most appealing option. Behind it lies a beautiful park where people are enjoying the pleasures of earthly life. However, in the distance, we can see the fires of hell looming ominously. On the left is the narrow gate, which Jesus calls us to choose in today's Gospel. This is the path of the cross. In the foreground, people are preparing crosses for those who are about to walk through the narrow gate and follow the steep, winding road beyond. But some crosses are left, unused, by the people who decided to walk through the wide gate. Although it may seem difficult, we can see that the small, narrow, winding path ultimately leads to heaven in the top left corner.

LINKS

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/
Today's Reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/luke-13-22-30-2024/