One of the most painful experiences in
life is to be shut out. Sometimes when we are late for an event, for a concert, or a
performance, we are shut out. Very often, in family life, husband and wife shut
each other out, and children as well, by not talking to each other, by refusing to
communicate. Or sometimes in offices, in communities, we are shut out because
they feel that we do not belong to their clique, so to speak. But my dear
brothers and sisters, this is not the only kind of experience of being shut
out. There is nothing greater than to be shut out from God. Not because God shut
us out. But because we shut Him out. And this happens, simply because many of us,
we do not take our relationship with Jesus seriously. We are not ready to enter the
kingdom of God. And this comes about simply because firstly, we think that
salvation is because we are a member of a club. Because we are baptised, we
think therefore we are a preferred class that God has chosen. And that is why
many of us, we take our faith for granted, the benefits of being a member of the
Church. We think that the Church owes us all the privileges. On our part, we do
nothing. We do not grow in our faith. We do not take the trouble to nurture our
faith, simply because we think we are baptised, and therefore we are
guaranteed of salvation. The passport has already been made. But it is not stamped
by a beautiful relationship with the Lord. A superficial relationship with
our Lord is not good enough. Many of us, we have superficial friends. We call
them fair-weather friends. In good times, they are our friends. But you know who are
your true friends, when you are going through bad times. Fair-weather friends,
there are millions in the world. But true friends are those who stand by
you, in good times and in bad. But they can only stand by you, provided they
really know you, they know your issues, they know your personal struggles. But
many of us in our relationship with God, we hardly talk to Him. We hardly reveal
ourselves to Him. And that is why God is a distant friend. We come to Him only
when we are in need of help. But we do not, in good times, deepen that
relationship with the Lord. We can be routine Catholics, attending
Mass, but not participating. Hearing a homily, but not reflecting, not
interiorising. Reading the scriptures, but not really meditating on it. So, we do
many things externally. If we truly want to be part of the community of
faith, to belong to the kingdom of heaven, then there is a price that we
must pay. And that is why those who have been converted to the faith, most of the
time, their faith is strong. Their faith is fervent because they paid a price to
find God. And when they found Him, they surrendered themselves. Those of us who
are cradle Catholics, unfortunately, many of us, we take our faith for
granted. We do not really appreciate what we have. That is why many cradle
Catholics, after some time, either they fall into a routine, they lapse, or they
just give up. Because they take all these benefits, as if it is their right. It's an
entitlement mentality. Dangerous, very dangerous. The way to the Lord is always
through the narrow door. We need to struggle. We need to strive. We need to
realise that once we are baptised, or once you are ordained, or once you are confirmed,
or once you are married in Church, it does not mean to say we are therefore
all ready, all perfected. No. We are in the process of purification. It is not
something that is frozen. We need to grow. We need to grow in our
relationship. We need to grow in our marriage. We need to grow in our faith
as well. But it does not mean to say, to struggle means to say that at the end of
the day it is our effort. It is also the grace of God. Without His grace, we will not
have faith. So, don't think that your faith in Jesus is purely by your efforts
alone. Yes, we need to cooperate. That's all. But God will supply the grace for
us. And most of all, it is important for us. This grace of coming to know Jesus
is really a gift. And we must be open to that gift, receptive to that gift. So, my
dear brothers and sisters, let us entrust our lives to the Lord, entrust
all our struggles as well. When you go through purification, good will come out
of it. We should not be too concerned about our failures. But in everything we
do, in all our shortcomings, we just have to cooperate with the grace of God. And God, He
knows what is deepest in our hearts, and God will truly answer our prayers.
