I am pleased to welcome Fr. David Nixon back to Precious Blood! He will be filling in while I am on vacation.

Open Door Policy!

A few Sundays ago we were told, “Knock and the door will be opened to you” (Luke 11) and now this Sunday we seem to be getting the opposite. Jesus says that once the Master has locked the door, those left outside will knock in vain! In fact they will be told, “I do not know where you are from!” So what is happening?

There’s a lot in the Scriptures about doors. Doors represent the way in or the way out. The question Jesus is dealing with in today’s Gospel is concerned with who is in and who is out with God! That’s a question we all ask at some point. Notice that when we ask it we are usually wondering about our own personal situation: “Am I in or out with God?” Which side of the door will I end up on at the end of the day?

When it comes to the message of the Scriptures, it is always dangerous to narrowly focus on one verse, one phrase or one sentence. The Word of the Lord is rich and varied and we lose the meaning of the whole story if we get obsessed with just one line and forget the rest. The whole spirit of the Gospel message is about Jesus coming to serve us, to save us, to rescue and redeem us. We are caught up in the greatest love story ever – the story of God’s love for us. Jesus comes not to catch us out but to help us out. Left to our own devices we have a tendency to go astray. God’s purpose for each one is to that we live close to God and close to each other.

At times a challenge is needed, especially when we are inclined to take God’s love for granted, or think that we have all the time in the world. Another common human mistake is to label ourselves as in with God, whilst judging others (especially those we dislike, disagree with or see as different) as having no chance in the “getting to Heaven stakes!” It is to challenge us out of such selfish, narrow and complacent thinking that Jesus stirs up His listeners in this Gospel passage.

This week, may we let the God of surprises in to help shake up our thinking, let go of our judging and focus our efforts on keeping fit to enter through the narrow gate by imitating Jesus’ example of words and deeds that come from a heart of service, care and compassion.

Mother Teresa’s 100^th Birthday

This Thursday, August 26, 2010 we celebrate the Centennial Remembrance of the birth of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta. A prayer card in honor of her 100^th birthday is available at the back of church. Please pray for her canonization to sainthood.