FIT FOR THE KINGDOM

I have a classmate in the seminary who is a bodybuilder. He used to be a chubby guy. He had great difficulty running from one side of the basketball to another due to his weight. Commuting proved to be a great difficulty for him too. He had occupied space in a jeepney almost good for two persons. There was a point in his life when he realized enough is enough with all these daily struggles due to a pot-belly and stout arms. And so, he decided to hit the gym daily. He strictly observed a low fat and low carb diet. Since then, he had stopped taking sugary foods and drinks, especially soda. I remember one time, though the weather was so warm, he would be wearing sauna jacket just so he would perspire a lot and burn the extra fats in his body. He even got sick due to the sudden drop in his weight. After much sacrifices, regular exercises in the gym (4 pm to 6 pm almost every day), and abstinences from various tasty foods, he now carries a well-toned physique. His discipline to remain focused and attain his goal enabled him to do so. Today, no jeepney driver would ask him to pay a fare double the usual rate. He can now easily fit through passenger-jammed jeepney. He got fit.

As Christians, we have one notable goal in our journey. That is to fit in the narrow gates of heaven; to achieve the gift of salvation offered to us by God. Salvation is our union with God; to be in God's presence (in heaven). How shall we achieve such fitness?

We begin with the end in our mind: Salvation and union with God. God is offering salvation to everyone. The doors of heaven are opened for everyone (cf. CCC 543, 776). God predestined us to be with Him. He desires to restore the entire humankind to Him. But with the gift of freedom, salvation has become an offering to us; a choice. With such an offer, our decision is a no-brainer. How could one refuse (upon knowing the magnanimity of the choice) the best option he can have in his life? How can we refuse to go back to God and be reunited with our origin and fulfillment? Nevertheless, though the choice may be easy, salvation is given only to those who believe and struggle to achieve it. The Church here on earth illustrates the choice towards union with God. The Church, in her struggle to be one with God, in her obedience to the will of the Father, adheres to the teachings of Jesus and is our model as we strive to go to heaven and fit through its narrow door. She is our fitspiration.  

As we set our mind towards the end, we choose. We do all sort of things to achieve salvation. We bear all the difficulties. That would involve discipline and perseverance. In our way to heaven; on being united with God in our daily life, we shall meet trials and challenges that would test our strength and faith in God. Through all these difficulties, God intends not to dampen our enthusiasm, but rather to solidify our resolve to be with Him. The Letter to the Hebrews tells us: "At the time (of trials), all discipline seems a cause, not for joy but for pain, yet later it brings the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who are trained by it." He urges us further: “Strengthen your drooping hands and your weak knees. Make straight paths for your feet, that what is lame may not be disjointed but healed."

The Lord gives us trials for us to strengthen our faith in Him; to learn to rely solely on God, not even to our strength. After all, salvation is a work of God in our life, we simply choose it and cooperate and obey God's instruction to us as we tread the path towards heaven. It is the Lord who will save us. We simply have faith in Him and do our best to live the life He so desires for us, His children.  St. Paul says to his letter to the Corinthians: "God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation, he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it (1 Cor 10:13)." St. Peter counsels us: "In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ (1 Pt 1:6-7)." Trials are there in life to reveal our true strength and worth, and in God alone, all these lay in God. God is our true treasure. God alone is our strength.   

In the gospel (Lk 13:22-30), Jesus reminds us of the narrow gate through heaven: "Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough." The narrow gate of heaven is our means to be united with Jesus. This narrow gate refers to the means through which we can follow Him. And that is His cross. Our way towards the glories of heaven is the cross on the Calvary; the cross of Jesus. The challenges and difficulties we face as we long to be holy are the crosses that the Good Lord gives to us to carry. By embracing this cross, we can leave other things (of less importance) behind, in exchange for the one Person who truly matters to us: Jesus, the one who would put meaning and wholeness in our life. The narrow gate does not lie at the end of our journey alone. It is at the beginning and middle of our faith journey. The cross we carry is our way to heaven. The good news is, as we carry our cross and endeavor to follow Jesus (however difficult it may be), we grow spiritually fit and so will be found worthy to be in heaven in the end, passing through the narrow gate of heaven.