“Merciful Father, as you have sent the Holy Spirit on Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, to write all that You wished and wanted, we pray You, send the same Holy Spirit on us, so that we may understand, appreciate Your Word, and make it our plan of life. This we ask for the merits of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.”
34 …. In the New Testament, the ‘door’ has an escathological meaning, eternal happiness. Once Jesus was asked a question regarding the number of people that are going to be saved. Jesus gave this reply: (Lk. 13, 24-25)
“Strive to enter by the narrow gate (door); for many, I say to you, shall seek to enter, and shall not be able to. But when the Master of the house comes in, and shall shut the door, you, who will be standing outside the door. Knocking, and shouting, will say: ‘Lord, open for us.’ He answers and says to you: ‘ I do not know you. Who are you?’
The same message, admonition is found in the Parable of the Ten Virgins. The five foolish Virgins will be left outside whilst the five wise ones will enter with the Bride and partake of the Feast. (Mt.25, 1-2). The closed door is a symbol of ‘perdition’ But, we should state it, unequivocally, that the door is not closed by God; it is only we who are responsible for the opening or closing of the door. The key to the door lies in our behavior, in our disposition, in our type of relation with God and with our neighbours.
The definition of the ‘door’ is found in Christ’s declaration: “I am the door. He who enters through me will be saved. ” (John 10, 9). St.Paul declared this in his Letter to the Colossians, 4,3: wherein he told them to open the door for the Word of God, and proclaim the mystery of Christ.
When addressing the Corinthians, First Letter, 16,9, Paul says: “There is a wide door, open for me, where I can work with ease, though, many are my enemies.”
Talking about Jerusalem of Heaven, we find symbolisms in the number twelve. This Jerusalem has twelve doors, and each door is made up of twelve gems, precious stones, (Rev. 3, 20). So, in each door we see the whole city; that is the glory of God. These doors are always wide open, and nothing defiled, impure, or anyone who has committed evil can enter through them. These doors serve as an entrance for those ‘only’ who have been written in the Book of the Life of the Lamb’ see Rev.21, 27).
The Good Shepherd sits all night at the door of the sheepfold, whilst the sheep are sleeping. But, He, as a truly responsible shepherd, sits in the doorway, thereby blocking it, in case wild animals or thieves attempt to go in and steal the sheep. (John10,7).
This shepherd’s duty is reflected in Peter, as the Head of the Church on earth. It is Peter’s duty, as the holder of the Keys, to open and close, the entrance, the acceptance in the Church, then depending on our wishes and dispositions to join in. He was given the authority by Christ Himself to forgive or retain, a duty which is still exercised till this day by means of the sacrament of Reconciliation, of the Forgiveness of sins. /35
Certain information,from “Signs and Symbols in the Bible” by kind permission of Mons. Lawrence Sciberras, Biblical Scholar, Gozo, Malta.
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