Justin Appel

Dear Friends,

Today’s Gospel lesson contains some of Jesus’ most difficult words.

What in the world can Jesus mean by this metaphor of the gate? Does he really mean what he seems to be saying?

This passage, I have to say, only makes sense to me from a process-oriented perspective. That is, that the way is hard, the gate is narrow, but by virtue of what these metaphors refer to.

In the first place, salvation is of God. Christ identified himself with the Way and as the Gate to the Sheepfold, etc. Christ himself is the path, the Way which we seek to follow. This brings us to the difficult bit.

This Way involves moving in a direction and into a state of being—the Kingdom of God. This kingdom is found, is gradually entered, by means of a complete transformation into the image and likeness of Jesus Christ. This transformation is what is painful because it starts from the difficult beginning of repentance and humility. The process involves the death of one’s “passions”—one’s sinful impulses.

Thus, Jesus’ hardest word makes sense: only a few fully realize this difficult path fully in this life. They are called “Saints,” and they show us how to truly live in this world, while looking towards Heaven. They do this, not simply through moral spotlessness, but by undergoing the pain of complete transformation in this life.

This transformation happens as we move towards Jesus, enter the Kingdom through him, and as we become united with him.

May we all be found in Christ, and he in us!

Yours in Christ,

—Justin