The tradition of Halloween has lost its religious roots as
the day before the feast of All Saints, but the Gospel for this Wednesday of
the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time has some of the “trick or treat” buried
within. Jesus is making His way toward His final definition or revelation of
His person and mission. He is asked on His way about just how many or few will
be saved and about who will have done the works of holiness or justification.
Who will be dressed in the proper costume?
While hiding one’s true identity is a Trick, and on this
day, quite enjoyable to watch, tomorrow is the celebration of those who
divested, who took off their ‘costumes’ and lived the Treat of the simple holy
life.
Jesus’ reply to the one asking about being saved is
wondering if he/she is carrying enough accreditation and self-affirming
actions. Jesus gives us an image of a “narrow Gate” through which only the
costumeless, the stripped can pass through. Those who obtained their identity
from what they did, would be unknown by the Master. They are pictured by Jesus
as knocking on the door like Trick-or Treaters and the Master would say twice,
that He did not know where they were from.
These costumed pretenders would not be receiving the treats
of heaven, but the results of tricking themselves by dressing up in false
identities and not receiving their reality and truth from their Creator and
Savior. What the Master is saying to them is that He does not know where they
are from, because they have refused to accept that they are from God and are on
their journey of returning back through the narrow gate of believing their
origin and destiny.
We should enjoy the life-long process of de-costuming and living
our sainthood.
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