Homily for the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

There is a Peanuts cartoon that shows Charlie Brown getting up one morning and looking out the window. It’s a beautiful winter day: snow covers the ground, and while it’s very cold, it’s perfect for skiing. Charlie bundles up in several layers of clothing, puts on his big gloves, and straps on his skis. However, when he moves toward the door, he finds that he’s too bundled up to fit through. Instead of removing the items that are preventing him from getting outside, he stands there and screams at the top of his lungs.

The image of Charlie Brown standing in front of the door, too bundled up to pass through, serves as a good reminder as we confront the challenge that Jesus presents to us today. Many things can make it difficult for us to pass through the narrow gate to the kingdom of heaven. These could be spiritual or material obstacles, but whatever they are, they can keep our hearts and our focus away from the loving and merciful presence of God.

One of the things that might keep us from entering the kingdom of heaven is the expectations of others. A story that illustrates this point involves Joe Rosenthal, the photographer who took the famous photo during World War II of the United States Marines raising the American flag on the island of Iwo Jima.

Joe was a Jewish man who became convinced that Jesus is, in fact, the Messiah. He decided to convert to Catholicism, but his family and friends thought this was a terrible mistake. Despite their objections, Joe’s faith in Jesus burned in his heart. He knew that his decision was right, and he understood that he had to go against the wishes of those who loved him most. This was a challenging and painful task.

After World War II, Joe spoke about his work as a photographer as well as his faith in Jesus and how it helped him during the challenging years on the battlefield. In an interview, he reflected on his conversion to Catholicism, stating, “Sometimes, the thing that keeps us from entering the door to God’s kingdom is not just material possessions and concerns, but also concerns about what others may say about us or think of us.”

Indeed, it’s essential for most of us that others think well of us. Jesus warns us that we need to stand by the truth; we must speak out and live out the Gospel, regardless of the sacrifices, suffering, or even rejection that we might face from those we love most, if we hope to walk through that narrow gate. This ties back to the Gospel from last week, where Jesus spoke about family members turning against one another because of His message. He emphasized that, as important as our relationships are, living out the Gospel and the kingdom of God are infinitely more important.

As we bring today’s Scripture to prayer this week, let us be mindful of those bundles and burdens that keep us from becoming all that God has called us to be. May we ask God for the true freedom we need to be children of God, walking freely toward His kingdom of love.