21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

A friend went Abroad for vacation. He rented a room to stay there for a week. But on his first night, while he was sleeping, he was disturbed by some persons who were trying to unlock the door of his room. He rose up and asked the identity of those persons. They said they were the owner of the room. My friend quickly understood that they were malefactors. He refused to open the door despite the threat imposed by those persons.  My dear friends, we cannot allow strangers to come into our house when we have already closed the door at night. Of course our compassion for any stranger is there but the security of our home has the paramount importance. The stranger might say he is our friend, he might use the names of those we know, to be able to enter into our home, but we cannot sacrifice the peace of our home with his presence. If he is indeed a friend in need, then there is no doubt about him. (But then there are friends who also rob the house of their hospitable friends! ) In short,we allow to open our door if we have the knowledge of the person's identity.  This is also what Jesus was telling to his disciples. The door of heaven is open to all the friends of God. But God does not open the door for strangers. Jesus emphasized, "Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, then you will stand outside and start to knock on the door and beg him, 'Lord, let us in!' But he will answer you, 'I don't know where you come from.'" (Luke 13:25) God's friends are those who have faith in Him and do the works of faith. But strangers are those who do not believe in Him or even if they do believe in Him, they do not do any work of faith. This does not mean that God is not compassionate by refusing to open the door for the strangers. It is not a question about God's compassion but it is a question of one's identity before God. The only way a stranger can enter into God's kingdom is to make himself/herself a friend of God. He/she only needs to have faith in God and do the works of faith. Being a Catholic or a priest is not a guarantee to enter into heaven. There must be faith  in us and such faith is made manifest in our words, works and life. Amen.