With Opened Bible
Universality of Salvation
“And people will come from the east and the west and from the north and the south and will recline at table in the kingdom of God.”
This Sunday's first reading and Gospel lead us to reflect on the purpose and recipients of the salvation proclaimed in Jesus Christ. The Holy Scriptures teach that God chose Israel to be his firstborn out of all the nations of the earth. (Cf. Exodus 4:22) To him belong adoption, promises, covenants, worship, and glory. (Cf. Romans 9:4) Jesus himself also declared to the Samaritan woman that "salvation is from the Jews" (John 4:22). Considering all this truth about Israel's election, can we say that the rest of the world doesn't matter?
The answer is no. Since the beginning, the prophets have consistently proclaimed the universality of salvation. The Greek word for universality is "katolikos," which means "offered to all." Isaiah sang of this universal participation in salvation when he said: "In days to come, the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established as the highest mountain and raised above the hills. All natons shall stream toward it. Many people shall come and say: "Come, let us go up to the LORD's mountain, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he can instruct us in his ways, and we can walk in his paths." (Isaiah 2:1-3) Let us note carefully that the word "nations" is in the plural (which means all pagan peoples). All are invited to celebrate God's salvation, but Israel is the spiritual leader. "I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth." (Isaiah 49:6)
With Jesus, this invitation becomes more vibrant through his death on the cross. He becomes the sign of God's love for the whole earth: "God so loved the world he gave his only begotten Son" (John 3:16). He loved the world so much (not just Israel). Thus, Jesus makes his death a universal (catholic) act to carry out the divine plan for the world. At the end of his ministry, he will reiterate this idea of the universality of salvation to his apostles: "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son, and the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you." (Matthew 28:19-20) So it will be for the eternal banquet: "And people will come from the east and the west and from the north and the south and will recline at the table in the kingdom of God." (Luke 13:29) But even thou, Israel will be the last to answer and the nations will precede her. "Some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last."
