Isaiah 66:18-21 / Hebrews 12:5-7, 11-13 / Luke 13:22-30
It can be said that by a person's attitudes and behaviour, we can get an idea of that person's upbringing.
So, the most important years in a person's life is not so much in the schooling days or in the working life.
The most important years of a person's life is the first 6 years of childhood. During the first 6 years, a child's brain develops faster than during any other period of life, and its early development will set the course for any future evolvement.
During this period of the first 6 years, the base for a successful education in the future can be laid. That would be the time for character formation and to instil the values and principles in life.
That is not just important for the individual, it will have bearings in family relationships and on the social fabric.
Obviously, parents have this great opportunity, as well as great responsibility, of forming their children with good upbringing.
In many ways, the children's attitudes and behaviour are a reflection of how their parents have brought them up.
But whether it is parents or children, we know that it is not that easy to teach and to learn to do what is good and right.
Because there is this human tendency to exercise our freedom to do whatever we want, and that has often led us to do the wrong and bad thing.
In the gospel, Jesus talked about entering by the narrow door, and he even said that many will try to enter and will not succeed.
The way of the Lord and the way to life is like trying to enter by the narrow door, and it is not going to be easy.
From the 2nd reading, we heard that the Lord will correct and reprimand, and we must not get discouraged.
Because the Lord trains and even punishes those He loves, because He wants to form us well.
So, suffering is part of our training, so that we are able to enter by the narrow door, and do what is right and good in the eyes of the Lord.
There is this story of the bowl of noodles with eggs, and the author narrates how his father has formed him with just a bowl of noodles and eggs. The narration goes like this:
When I was a small child, I was very selfish, always grabbed the best for myself. Slowly, everyone left me and I had no friends. I didn’t think it was my fault but criticized others.
My father gave me 3 examples to help me learn about life. One day, my father cooked 2 bowls of noodles and he put the 2 bowls on the table. One bowl has one egg on top and the other bowl does not have any egg on top. He said, “My child, you choose. Which bowl do you want?” Of course, I chose the bowl with the egg!
As we started eating. I was congratulating myself on my wise choice and decision and gobbled up the egg.
Then to my surprise as my father ate his bowl of noodles, there were TWO eggs at the bottom of his bowl beneath the noodles!
I regretted so much! And scolded myself for being too hasty in my decision.
My father smiled and said to me, “My child… You must remember what your eyes see may not be true. And if you intent on taking advantage of people, you will end up losing!”
The next day, my father again cooked 2 bowls of noodles. One bowl with an egg on top and the other bowl with no egg on top. Again, he put the two bowls on the table and said to me, “My child. You choose. Which bowl do you want?” This time I am smarter. I chose the bowl without any egg on top. To my surprise, as I separated the noodles on top, there was not even a single egg at the bottom of the bowl!
Again my father smiled and said to me, “My child, you must not always rely on experiences because sometimes, life can cheat you or play tricks on you. But you must not be too annoyed or sad. Just treat this as learning a lesson. You cannot learn this from textbooks.”
The third day, my father again cooked 2 bowls of noodles. Again, one bowl with an egg on top and the other bowl with no egg on top. He put the 2 bowls on the table and again said to me, “My child. You choose. Which bowl do you want?” This time, I told my father, “Dad, you choose first. You are the head of the family and contributed the most to the family.”
My father did not decline and chose the bowl with one egg on top. As I ate my bowl of noodles, I was expecting that there is no egg inside the bowl. But to my surprise, there were TWO eggs at the bottom of the bowl.
My father smiled at me with love in his eyes, and said, “My child, you must remember! When you think for the good of others, good things will always naturally happen to you!”
I always remember these 3 lessons from my father and live my life accordingly.
Jesus taught us that suffering is part of our training when He suffered and died on the Cross.
May the Cross of Jesus teach us how to live life and to enter by the narrow door of love. And may we always do what is pleasing to God.