What is “the Kingdom” and what does it take to get a place in the choir?

Gospel: Luke 13:22–30
Jesus passed through towns and villages, teaching as he went and making his way to Jerusalem. Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few people be saved?” He answered them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough.”

The opening of today’s gospel narrative should cause us in the pews and at the altar to squirm. Are we just going along with the group, we who are members of the community and lead respectable lives? We follow the rules and fulfill our obligations. Is that enough? Maybe for us and those who admire us – but not for Jesus.

Selfie: what the excessive need for attention does to ourselves and others

We may have a need for attention to validate our feelings, prop up our egos, and make us feel like we matter. We often appear from the outside as confident, well-adjusted, competent, but have an underlying fear that we are not good enough, not special enough, to pass muster in this world. Most of us are insecure about something. This is such a common experience that we find it all over the gospels.

The antidote to the monetizing of our souls is a healthy spirituality of money and wealth. And, it is not easy to develop. The first step might be an honest look at ourselves and our culture and becoming more conscious of our attention to money. … Like the rich young man, are we letting our preoccupation with our money and possessions keep us from living our lives authentically and keep us from furthering Jesus’ Kingdom?

From Robert W. McElroy, in America Magazine:
”A sustained reading of Pope Francis’ words on inequality and the barrage of criticism that has greeted them…”

God’s power and ours/The uses and abuses of Power

What about power in our everyday lives? What kinds of powers are there, and is all power negative? On the other hand, how can power be misused? This is a spiritual study, not an academic one, and it is in no way complete, but it is part of a process by which we evaluate society’s arrogating to itself too much power and take time to evaluate our own personal enjoyment of or misuse of power.