Lent
April 9, 2019
Scripture Reading: Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29
Open to me the gates of righteousness,
that I may enter through them
and give thanks to the Lord.
This is the gate of the Lord;
the righteous shall enter through it. –Psalm 118:19-20
This Psalm says the gate of righteousness is fully opened and welcoming. Jesus is quoted as describing the gate as narrow and the road hard that leads to life. He also said it is harder for the rich to enter the kingdom of God than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle.
‘Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it. (Matthew 7:13-14)
Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.’ (Matthew 19:24)
So, what is going on here? I think both thoughts are truths for us to understand. I am a basketball fan and thus am acquainted with various commentators’ illustrations. One description often made, when a player cannot seem to miss a shot, is the commentator saying something to the effect that the game is slowing down for him or her or the basket is getting bigger. Obviously, the basket is not getting bigger but the whole idea of the game slowing down is a phenomenon for all athletes. With more practice athletes develop something called muscle memory, I call it playing on automatic pilot. Hitting shots becomes second nature to them and even if they miss one now and then they keep making shots until they get back into the rhythm of hitting. The more we practice the spiritual disciples the more our spiritual memory strengthens and the gate to righteousness seems bigger.
Prayer: Lord, help us see the open gate of righteousness even when the distractions of our world seems to make the path to it narrow. Amen.