How narrow is narrow? How wide is wide?

John 10:1-2

            I considerably shortened the passage for today because I was particularly struck by just these 2 lines.  When I was growing up no one that I knew had a fence with a gate. We lived in suburbia but the only people that had the kind of fence that required a gate were generally people I didn't know and did not want to know.  It meant 'leave me alone' or 'warning, dangerous dog who will attack you' if you come through the gate. These gates were invariably narrow and this is why I always saw this line of scripture the way I did. The gate to salvation was very narrow. It was the church's way or no way (to salvation and heaven). 

         It wasn't until many years later as an adult (when I had already been sufficiently indoctrinated) that I heard a quite different interpretation at a Benedictine Priory. One of the monks gave a moving reflection on the idea that gate may in fact be very wide and all embracing. This would be in direct contrast to everything I had always heard and to my visions of the narrow gates of my youth.

         Even as an adult ally of the LGBTQ ( I hadn't yet connected all the dots about myself ) I had studied the Catechism and knew being gay was supposed to be ok but there were rules that had to obeyed to be  "one" with the church. Gays were called to celibacy and any expression of gay love was a mortal sin which by definition was a grave sin risking your eternal soul. These rules were in contrast to the rules for heterosexuals who were also called to chastity but in thire case was incredibly overlooked. Also overlooked were the countless gay priests and those who were not chaste by virtueof their abuse of young children.  IN the latter, 'overloooked' is overly geneerous. The church 'harbored' and tacitly approved is more like it. 

        But ahhh, what I have learned. I now believe the gate is wide and as embracing as God's love. The gate is wide to reflect the wide diversity of God's creation and love. No longer do I believe the stricture that the church of my youth foisted as truth. Heresy of heresies, the Roman Catholic church is wrong. Wait, wait, wait for it......hmm, no bolt of lightening here. 

        God's gate embraces everyone, and if Jesus' life is any indication, even sinners and outcasts and those marginalized by those in 'authority' will be not only embraced but saved. Not unlike the prodigal son or is that prodigal father?.  

        One way or another, the message got through, the gate is wide, all are welcome and you my friend are loved more than you can ever imagine. Yes you!

‘Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.