Before celebrating a funeral Mass, the widow shared the family’s experience before her husband passed away. They were all at the ICU and he flatlined. The doctors did everything to revive him and were successful. Because all the family was present, he asked for a piece of paper and a pen to send a message. He wrote in the paper, “I love you all very much. But should this happen to me again, please do not revive me anymore. It is so peaceful to the place that I have come from!”

In the Gospel, Jesus reminded us that there is eternal life. Hence, we are only passing by in this life. He too reminds us that eternal life is not a privilege of a few; it is not attained by simply saying, “Jesus is Lord.” It is passing through the Narrow Gate. In other words, as in the message of the second reading, it entails sacrifice.

Three things we are called to Sacrifice:

1. Since all things come to pass, the challenge is to LET GO. Often we forget that we came into the world with nothing. We, too, are leaving the world with nothing. But throughout our life, we have difficulty letting go. We always try to hold on and accumulate. In the process, we clutter our lives and make it complicated. But when we let go, we make life more simple and give God the space to work on our lives.
   
2. Reaching out to other people. It is safer to just deal with people we are comfortable with. In the process, we stereotype, we judge, we alienate, we stereotype. In fact, nowadays, it is easier to judge and condemn without us knowing their story. “Whatever you do to the least of your brethren, you do unto Christ.”
   
3. A Fruitful life. How many of us going through life with all the excuses; mahirap lang ako; hindi ko kaya gawin ito; hindi ako sinoportahan ng aking magulang; and the excuses continues. How true is the saying, “Sa taong ayaw, lahat may dahilan. Sa taong gusto, lahat kakayanan.”

In every Mass, we remember that while Eternal life is forever, it starts now with the choices we make in life.