In today’s Gospel, Jesus uses the image of being the narrow gate. He invites all who want to live the right way and to be saved, to enter life through His teaching and love. He is that gate that will bring us happiness both in this life and the life to come, if we choose to live the right way. This image makes me think of the farmer who was very proud of his beautiful farm which he and his family worked to make profitable for many years. The soil was rich and the landscape filled with crops and trees was expansive. As he got quite old, he became ill. He asked his sons to bring him through his farm to enjoy his accomplishment for one last time. He also scooped up by the hand a bunch of rich soil, which he held onto tightly. He soon died and was at the gate of heaven, where he met St. Peter who was ready to welcome him. There was one problem. He was still holding onto his soil which he wouldn’t let go of. You see, it represented all his accomplishments while on earth. When Peter told the man he couldn’t take that into heaven, the man refused to let go of the soil. Peter who tried many ways to get the man to let go of the soil, but it didn’t work, reported this to the Lord. He went to Jesus and asked Him what they should do? Jesus said: “Let me take care of it.” Suddenly as the man was sleeping outside the gate of heaven, he had a dream. In the dream, his grandchildren started pleading with him: “Grandpa, Grandpa, please open your hand—drop the soil. We want you to be with us, and us with you!” The old man realized that he was putting his own accomplishments even before the love of his family. So, when he woke up, he opened his hand and dropped the soil. Jesus and St Peter led him through the gate of heaven, to eternal life and happiness. This is a great parable about our lives, isn’t it? We think we are pleasing God by our own accomplishments; we think we can enter eternal life through our own gate. Not so. Jesus, our Good Shepherd, invites us to open our hands and hearts, and let go of everything that holds us back from entering through His gate. It is the only way to eternal life, happiness, and peace. ~ Fr. John