Will only a few people be saved?

30 OCTOBER (Lk 13,22-30)

In Ancient Scripture a man often wondered about what features a man had to possess so that he could be sure of eternal salvation. The answer is given to us by the Psalms. You need a correct way of life.

How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, But they are like chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the wicked will perish (Psalm 1,1-6).

O LORD, who may abide in Your tent? Who may dwell on Your holy hill? He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness, And speaks truth in his heart. He does not slander with his tongue, Nor does evil to his neighbor, Nor takes up a reproach against his friend; In whose eyes a reprobate is despised, But who honors those who fear the LORD; He swears to his own hurt and does not change; He does not put out his money at interest, Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken (Psalm 15 (14) 1-5).

I will sing of loving kindness and justice, To You, O LORD, I will sing praises. I will give heed to the blameless way. When will You come to me? I will walk within my house in the integrity of my heart. I will set no worthless thing before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; It shall not fasten its grip on me. A perverse heart shall depart from me; I will know no evil. Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, him I will destroy; No one who has a haughty look and an arrogant heart will I endure. My eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me; He who walks in a blameless way is the one who will minister to me. He who practices deceit shall not dwell within my house; He who speaks falsehood shall not maintain his position before me. Every morning I will destroy all the wicked of the land, So as to cut off from the city of the LORD all those who do iniquity (Psalm 101 (100), 1-8).

Today, however, Jesus is asked the number or quantity of the saved. Are they few? Are there many? Nobody? Many? This shift would lead us to think that he who asks it is as if he were sure to be already in the number of the elect ones. For him, the question does not arise. He is a saved one and wants to know whether there will be many or few with him. Instead, Jesus brings the question in its truth. No one must think of being saved until he is in Paradise. Until that time each day he must strive to enter by the narrow gate. In fact, many will try, but they will not succeed.

He passed through towns and villages, teaching as he went and making his way to Jerusalem. Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few people be saved?” He answered them, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough. After the master of the house has arisen and locked the door, then will you stand outside knocking and saying, ‘Lord, open the door for us.’ He will say to you in reply, ‘I do not know where you are from.’ And you will say, ‘We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets.’ Then he will say to you, ‘I do not know where (you) are from. Depart from me, all you evildoers!’ And there will be wailing and grinding of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and you yourselves cast out. And people will come from the east and the west and from the north and the south and will recline at table in the kingdom of God. For behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”

Today, this truth is abolished even by some progressive theology, denying this way the whole Gospel. Others have already sent to hell those who are retained to be guilty of serious crimes by them, taking away from the sinner also the possibility of being able to redeem himself, in true conversion and sincere repentance. A Church, a society that does not give the sinner the possibility to be converted is not the Church of Jesus Christ and not even can be it be said to be a Christian society. The true Christian lays down his life for the conversion of sinners, following the example of Jesus Christ, who died for the impious at the appointed time.
Virgin Mary, Mother of the Redemption, Angels and Saints make us love sinners.