From the Pastor's Desk | August 24, 2025

Gospel Reflection

Echoing the Scottish poet Robert Burns, Scotty Bowman, the legendary head coach of the Detroit Red Wings, once said, “There is nothing so uncertain as a sure thing.” How true that is! Like many of you, I appreciate assurances - clarity, certainty, and confidence in outcomes. But in this life, very little is guaranteed.

Every morning, I get into my truck with no absolute guarantee I’ll return home. That’s a hard truth of our fallen world. Since the Fall, nothing is without risk. Even our strongest assurances come with a dose of uncertainty.

In our Sunday Gospel, someone asks Jesus, “Lord, will only a few people be saved?” (Luke 13:23). This question cuts to the heart of every Christian. We long for salvation. We want to know we’ll be saved - to have the security of heaven. And so this question resonates deeply: Will I be saved?

As Catholics, we believe that many will be saved through the blood and merits of Jesus Christ. Note the word many. It’s the same word Jesus used at the Last Supper: “...which will be poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:28). This is the language we hear at every Mass during the consecration.

Jesus didn’t say “all” or “everyone.” Although His sacrifice was made for all, He knew that not everyone would accept Him. Salvation is offered to all, but not all choose it.

So what are we to do with that tension between God’s desire that all be saved and the human freedom to reject Him?

Jesus gave us tangible assurances: the Sacraments. These are visible signs of invisible grace - real encounters with Christ that actually change us. They aren’t magic tricks. They’re powerful, grace-filled encounters with the living God, flowing from His Paschal Mystery - His life, death, and resurrection.

The Church has always taught that Baptism is necessary for salvation, as it removes original sin and restores our relationship with God. The Catechism states clearly in paragraph 1257:

“The Lord himself affirms that Baptism is necessary for salvation... The Church does not know of any means other than Baptism that assures entry into eternal beatitude.”

So Baptism is our first and foundational assurance. But - and this is important - we can lose the gift of salvation through sin.

The Catechism (1861) warns us:

“Mortal sin... results in the loss of charity and the privation of sanctifying grace… If it is not redeemed by repentance and God’s forgiveness, it causes exclusion from Christ’s kingdom and the eternal death of hell.”

That’s a sobering reality. Jesus knew that some would choose sin over salvation - hence, again, the word many rather than all. But here’s the good news: in His mercy, God gave us the Sacrament of Reconciliation, often called a “second baptism.” Through confession, we’re restored to the grace and dignity of our original baptism.

But confession isn’t a “get out of jail free” card. It requires real repentance. As St. Ignatius of Loyola says in his Rules for Discernment, we must strive to “intensely cleanse our sins and rise from good to better in the service of God.”

The Catechism (1427–1428) affirms that conversion is a lifelong process:

“Christ’s call to conversion continues to resound in the lives of Christians… It is the movement of a ‘contrite heart,’ drawn and moved by grace to respond to the merciful love of God who loved us first.”

The journey doesn’t end with Baptism or a one-time confession. It involves a daily “yes” to God. The Sacraments of Confirmation and the Eucharist continue to strengthen us on this path. Confirmation empowers us with the Holy Spirit. The Eucharist feeds us with the Body and Blood of Christ - “food for the journey.”

So, are we assured of salvation? Yes - in Christ, through the Church and the Sacraments, when we cooperate with grace and strive to live holy lives.

And because salvation is found in the Church, we must proclaim Christ boldly. Evangelization isn’t optional. If we truly believe salvation is possible and real through Christ, why wouldn’t we invite others - our family, friends, co-workers, neighbors - into this mystery?

Now, some may ask, “What about those who have never heard the Gospel?” The Catechism acknowledges this tension in paragraph 1257:

“God has bound salvation to the sacrament of Baptism, but He Himself is not bound by His sacraments.”

Lumen Gentium (paragraph 16) beautifully expands on this, explaining that salvation is mysteriously possible even for those outside the visible bounds of the Church - but always through Christ. Those who seek God sincerely and follow their conscience may, by God’s grace, attain salvation. But this is not universalism, the false belief that everyone will be saved. The Church does not teach that hell is empty.

Rather, we live in the tension of God’s mercy and human freedom. And that’s why it’s so important to evangelize: to bring people into contact with the fullness of grace found in Christ and His Church.

So yes - I still like assurances. And I believe that if I strive for holiness, repent of my sins, and live the sacramental life, I can trust that God will judge me mercifully and justly. The same is true for you.

Let us recommit ourselves to Christ, to His Church, and to making Him known. And may we walk each day with confidence - not in ourselves, but in the saving power of Jesus Christ.

Know of my prayers for you all,

Fr. Ryan 

Nota Bene - A book worth reading is Will Many Be Saved? What Vatican II Actually Teaches and Its Implications for the New Evangelization by Dr. Ralph Martin, the esteemed former professor of Theology at Sacred Heart Major Seminary and someone who I look up to very much.