November 2, 2024. John 6:37-40.

Today we hear that Jesus will accept all who the Father sends to him, all who come to him. We have also heard elsewhere he says, come to me all who are weary and I will give you rest, and here he says he will raise us on the last day.
How does this fit with the reading about the narrow gate, for many are called but few are chosen? The answer is that Jesus accepts all who come to him, but there is still individual choice. It is the individual soul’s responsibility to choose loving God and loving fellow human beings. This is the narrow gate, to keep our focus on love. And sometimes it is not so easy. When we can do it, we grow spiritually, we are stretched and expanded. Sometimes it is uncomfortable.
Jesus also says that he does not just raise us to himself and to God the Father on the very last day, the Judgment day. We do not have to wait an eternity. Jesus starts to raise us now, to give us moments of peace, sharing and connecting in his spirit and presence. This is the path opened by contemplative prayer, experiencing awe at the beauty of Creation, or other ways that Spirit touches you.
That is all.

(Please forgive formatting errors when the message is posted from smartphone.)