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Today’s Gospel begins with Jesus accepting an invitation to dine with one of the leading Pharisees. During this gathering, Jesus shares a teaching inspired by His observations that challenges the conventional understanding of social status. He emphasizes a reversal of worldly status through humility. But what exactly did Jesus mean by humility?

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Luke’s Gospel is very typical of Jesus style. We have read events where Jesus takes an accepted view, custom, or perception and reinterprets into something different. Often when Jesus is asked a question, he invites the questioner into a deeper meaning. What exactly did Jesus mean when he talks about the narrow gate. Let’s look further. Jesus asks if many will be saved. Likely behind that question is the more personal question, Will I be saved? The question is a result of the individual’s uncertainty and maybe a bit of fear. Unfortunately for many, the cornerstone of their faith is rooted in fear that they will be judged as not meeting to what they perceive as God’s demanding and arbitrary standards. No wonder they find loving God difficult or their relationship with Him irrelevant.

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This passage might seem surprising—even unsettling. Here, we don’t see the serene, peaceful Jesus, but instead a passionate figure intensely devoted to his mission and faith. I believe Jesus is speaking metaphorically when he refers to fire—using it to symbolize the fervor and intensity he expects in our faith lives. He was not passionate about a lukewarm faith. In Revelation 3:14-16, Jesus rebukes the church in Laodicea precisely for their half-hearted devotion.

Jesus knew faith wasn’t always going to bring peace. History is full of conflicts between religious groups, and even today, faith can stir up internal struggles as we grapple with conscience and the demands of modern life. Jesus even warns of conflict within families—something that, sadly, many of us know: religious convictions can unite, but also divide families. Feeling unsupported by loved ones can be especially painful.