Will You Enter?

Today in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus says to us, "Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the Kingdom of God before you."  (Matthew 21:31b)  I often had the thought sitting in the pews when I heard this verse, "I doubt that."  At the time, being a young, educated, practicing Catholic I frequented the Sacraments often and was very confident in my salvation.  Mostly in the fact that I was following the rules and of course Jesus was going to let me into heaven if it was my time.  It's funny how finding out that you can't save yourself by following the rules can change your perspective.  I now am a young, educated practicing Catholic who still frequents the Sacraments, but who has fallen flat on her face.  Finding yourself entrenched in sin, even if only temporarily makes you realize that you need Jesus that you desperately need a Savior and that you aren't capable, much to your own chagrin, of following the rules all the time.  The greater realization is that God hasn't thrown you into the depths of Hell, rather, He calls us back, He called me back.  He calls the tax collectors and the prostitutes back.  They realized that they needed a savior that they needed Jesus, that they needed a relationship with  Jesus, not just an institution to serve or rules to follow.  I used to look around and think that I was better than a lot of people. (pride)  let's just name it and claim it, and now I look around and realize that most of us are in the same boat, struggling to keep going, struggling to find time to pray, hear His voice, follow His ways, be a good example to our children.  I try now to remember Christ's words to "take the plank out of my eye before I remove the speck in my brother's" (cf Mt 7:3-5) Humility is a pain in the butt, but it is humility that I pray will allow me to enter the Kingdom of God, not because I've earned it, but because Christ has saved me and I have chosen to follow after Him, if not perfectly, with all my will and His grace pushing me!

See you on the Journey
~Mrs. B