Therefore I believe we may envisage the passage Jesus is referring to as a passage that is narrow, and surely only one person may get through at a time, and doing so requires some effort. In my mind I picture an opening, perhaps like a cave entrance that one squeezes through, only to find a huge cavern filled with the presence of God once the struggle is done, and we are through the opening.

This is my vision of the metaphor that Jesus has created. Now for a moment let’s think about the metaphor itself. What is the meaning of the door? I submit that on one level Jesus was referring to himself, and on another level God, and perhaps he was referring to a way of living. It seems to me that he meant all of these things. He is telling us to strive and struggle to enter the Kingdom through the narrow and strait gate.

I believe that Jesus is asking us to live our lives through him, the narrow gate, using his life as our focus, or as our Old Testament lesson today said, our foundation stone or plummet line, from which we may build our own lives. And I believe he means exactly what he says.

This focus, this narrow door, was the source of my happiness and satisfaction while working at the hospital. During my time there I was invited into people’s lives during some of their most trying hours. Many of these pastoral situations were difficult and emotional for them and for me. What gave me strength was the constant companionship and presence of Christ. This intimate companionship with Jesus is what I was afraid of losing when I finished my internship. This same companionship is also what I realize I never need lose again.

But I must maintain a discipline, a rule for my life. I must be ready to maintain the discipline of prayer and contemplation that I carried into my experience, and expanded while working as a chaplain. I think for those of us that live in the secular world, with so many distractions and so many people advising us to do otherwise, it can be difficult to maintain Jesus as our focus. I don’t think I need to cite examples. You know exactly what I mean. Each of us is faced every day with a society that celebrates individual accomplishment over all other things, and Christianity no longer influences our society the way it once did, or the way we perhaps would like to see it do so.

For me, I intend to maintain my eyes on Jesus through regular, intentional prayer during my business day, in addition to my private devotions. I will do my best to run my work life through the lens of my faith, rather than maintaining side by side belief systems, one for work and one for Jesus and the rest of my life.

Each and every one of us, by virtue of our baptism, is a priest in God’s Kingdom. We need to be keenly aware of this fact. Some of us become lawyers, doctors, business people, teachers, manual laborers, and any other profession one might name, and some of us become ministers, but we are all called to see and live life through the lens of Jesus.

I recently read a book by Barbara Brown Taylor, entitled The Preaching Life, in which she speaks to, what I believe, is a major problem in Christian religious life, especially in the 21^st century. I quote her here. "Somewhere along the way we have misplaced the ancient vision of the church as a priestly people – set apart for ministry in baptism, confirmed and strengthened in worship, made manifest in service to the world. That vision is a foreign one to many church members, who have learned from colloquial usage that "minister" means the ordained person in a congregation, while "lay person" means someone who does not engage in full-time ministry. Professionally speaking that is fair enough – ordained people make their livings in ministry, and lay people do not – but speaking ecclesiastically, it is a disaster. Language like that turns clergy into purveyors of religion and lay people into consumers, who shop around for the church that offers them the best product."

I think she illustrates an important point. Each of us is a priest of God. Living the Gospel is the privilege and duty we accept as members of the body of Christ. I know that each of us in this room are doing our best to make God our constant companions, but I wonder how often we remind ourselves of our ministries as priests of God. We are called to church and to prayer so that we might refresh ourselves for our duties in the Kingdom.

The Church of the Messiah is a wonderful place, and frankly an oasis in a thirsty world. As a people we are doing the work of Jesus in this neighborhood. Again, I need not make a list of what we, as a corporate body, are doing for this neighborhood. Yet, I invite you to think with me about what God means in our lives, corporate and personal, once again. I think it’s important to go back to the basics once in awhile. Jesus knows our struggle. Let’s remind ourselves of the discipline we need to find the time to be with God; through a regular prayer life. It doesn’t need to be in a fancy place. It can be in our cars, our homes, at the office, while working out, while waiting at the doctors. The words don’t have to be complex. We can talk straight with God; simple words and concepts will do.

Then the next time we must make a decision, let’s bring God in as an advisor. As we face our fears let’s take God along as our companion. As we sweep the floor let’s ask Jesus to be there too. When we instruct others, including our children, let’s ask for The Holy Spirit to lead us.

This is our priesthood, and our struggle. God is always waiting for us. Jesus knows how hard it can be. Even so, God reaches out to us, to pull us through the narrow door, even now. Amen.