One can find spiritual writers who portray the spiritual way of life in negative terms. These authors quote from scripture where it says the way is narrow, few are those who find it; many are called, few are chosen, etc. Such scripture quotes make it seem that only an elite few are destined. It also gives us the impression that unless we are in some way miserable, unless life is hard and we are suffering, we aren’t true followers of “the Way”.
Yet, there are those who say differently. Catherine of Siena says that “the way to heaven is broad,” and “all the way to heaven is heaven.” I’ve always been impressed by these words of Catherine and their seeming contradiction with St Matthew’s gospel.
That questions the meaning of the narrow way promoted by Matthew. Is it a scare tactic to make us believe heaven is only for a few? I do not think so. I’ve come to believe that the narrow way spoken of in the gospel refers to the way destined for each individual. We are not called as a group, but individually. And the way I must follow is uniquely one God destines for me, one no one else has traveled before.
Following my destiny requires learning discernment, overcoming fear, and a willingness to live with a certain amount of isolation. It means taking chances, having courage to be responsible for my choices, having the ability to say I’m wrong, turn around, and try again. To follow the “narrow way” is to follow that path set out for me alone, the one God intended that my feet, and only my feet. It requires blazing my trail through areas no one else has gone before. It requires letting God be my beacon, over everyone else.
God does not give me a generalized master plan. Each one of us is uniquely, wonderfully made (Ps. 139:14). Let me look at the narrow road as the one given specifically to me. And let me remember always Catherine’s words, all the way to heaven is heaven!
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