...the single, universal condition to join the heavenly life

My passport is not yet in order. The processing time as usual, is long.

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The way to eternal life is narrow because it is demanding, requires commitment and denial of one's own selfishness, Pope Benedict XVI said today in his Sunday angelus address. He was referring to today's Gospel in which Jesus calls on his followers to strive to enter the "'narrow gate' to eternal life, because many shall seek to enter in, and shall not be able".

The path to the eternal life is open to all, but it is narrow because it’s demanding, asks for commitment, abnegation, and the mortification of selfishness.”

The Pope added that Christ is the one Redeemer, “inviting us to his feast of immortal life, but on one and only one condition, that of following and imitating him, bearing as He did our own cross and devoting one’s life to one’s brothers. This is the single, universal condition to join the heavenly life.”

The Pope stressed that on the last day, “it is not on the basis of alleged privileges that we shall be judged but on the merit of our deeds. The ‘agents of iniquity’ will find themselves excluded while those who did good deeds at the cost of sacrifices shall be welcomed.”

The Pope added: “It will not be enough to say that ‘I was a friend” of Christ, and claim false merits such as: ‘We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets’. True friendship with Jesus is expressed in how one lives; in the goodness of one’s heart; in one’s humility, kindness and mercy, in one’s love for justice and truth; in one’s sincere commitment to peace and reconciliation. This, we might say, is the ‘identity card’ that qualifies us as true ‘friends;’ it is the ‘passport’ that will let us enter eternal life.”

The 'merit of our deeds'. The Pope better be careful with that merit and works talk.. very un-protestant.