The Narrow Gate

I am not a theologian so my answer is an uneducated one but I hope it is helpful. Mr. Eko has spent a great deal more time studying and acquiring spiritual wisdom than I. I encourage you to listen to his words more than mine.

In general, men take the path of least resistance. Without wisdom, prayer and an earnest belief in eternal life provided by the Holy Trinity, a man will conclude that gratifying himself on earth is the best course of action. It is easy to see that a brain that is purely motivated by self comfort will choose to lead a life that is only focused on securing benefits for itself and thus behave more like an animal. This is the opposite of the narrow path.

The narrow path requires us to recognize we are not only carnal beings but also spiritual ones who are endowed with souls. Carnal minded men lack a spiritual sense and thus can see no need to nourish their souls. God is love and love is the nourishment our souls seek. The narrow path is a selfless one where true unconditional love is found and enjoyed.

Loving God the father, truly loving Him as a trusting child, would be hallmarked by obedience to Him. He has gifted us with the bible and most importantly the teachings of His Divine Son. So, we don't have to look any further than the teachings of Our Precious Lord to see what God's will is and what obedience to God means.

 

The narrow path is in my opinion easy to notice. When we are on the narrow path we have some inner limits which we don't cross beyond. On the wide path we have no inner limits - we want to eat as much as we like, we want to have sex with as many women as it's possible, we want to have pleasure as much as it's possible etc. - no inner limits, no barriers. It's the consequence of the first sin in Eden. We people could everything except to eat from that one tree - this was the limit for us but we decided to break the limit and from that time we are prone to break any limits -this is the wide path because we search the most possible pleasure on the wide path. The narrow path is limiting our pleasure because the hunt after pleasure is destructive.

 

So simply put, yet so on point.

Training for a marathon is hard, and few do it. Watching TV for hours on end is easy, and many do it.

Love is hard - it requires self-sacrifice. Lust is easy - it only requires self-indulgence.

Giving it to my addiction is easy -- I've literally carved deep and wide neurological pathways to take me there. To forge a new path of authentic love is going to take time and effort. Yet it's worth it. The radiant smile of saints tell us so.

Here's working for that radiant smile!

Pax

 

In my personal experience, it seems the inspiration I ask for daily, and receive, by praying for grace from the Holy Spirit is the answer to rerouting the insidious neural highways that I built in my brain through self-comfort.

 

Reb, be assured of my prayers! I am grateful to have found this awesome little group.

Onwards unto God!
Pax