2016 SUMMER OLYMPICS (07:00) – Screenshot of every National Olympic Committee from the Summer Olympic Games 2016 Opening Ceremony in Rio de Janeiro (NO SOUND)

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The concept of unity in diversity has long been celebrated and cherished by various cultures and societies throughout history. In the context of the Olympics, athletes from diverse backgrounds come together to represent their nations, sharing a common goal and passion for sportsmanship. The opening and closing ceremonies serve as a symbolic representation of unity among nations, as they march together in solidarity, transcending boundaries of culture, language, and political ideologies.

Similarly, the vision of Trito-Isaiah in the first reading presents a powerful image of unity among nations as they embark on a spiritual pilgrimage to Jerusalem. The prophet invites his contemporaries to imagine a world where diverse people come together to worship and glorify God, fostering harmony and peace. This vision emphasizes the importance of shared faith and purpose, urging individuals to look beyond their differences and embrace unity in their spiritual journey.

Both the Olympic ceremonies and Trito-Isaiah’s vision remind us of the beauty and strength that come from embracing our diversity while focusing on our common goals and values.

These examples inspire us to strive for unity in our communities, nations, and global society, working together towards a harmonious and inclusive world.

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Robert Frost Poem

The poem suggests the speaker will regret  having taking “the road less traveled by” on the grounds that  he had not come back to take the other; our  Gospel  agrees that choice of path is vital for salvation, but teaches us that the Way to Salvation, following Jesus faithfully,  is narrow and the gate narrow, and so it is “less traveled by,” but will end in everlasting glory!

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Charlie Brown’s Narrow Door

In an interesting cartoon in the Peanuts series, Charlie Brown wakes up one morning and looks out of the window. It has snowed all night but now the sun is shining brightly, so he decides to go out skiing. Donning all the winter gear he can find; he collects his shoes and skis and makes for the door.  

Unfortunately, he is unable to get through, because the clothes he has worn make it impossible to pass. He makes one unsuccessful effort after another. Finally, in desperate frustration, he screams at the top of his lungs: 

“Will someone please tell me what I have to do to get through this door?” 

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The Lady, or the Tiger?

UPSIDE DOWN DREAMER (14:39) – The famous short story written by Frank R. Stockton in 1882 takes place in an unnamed land from long ago where a king presides over an unusual justice system of his own invention in which an accused subject’s innocence or guilt is determined by “impartial & incorruptible chance”. The conflict of the story centers on the trial of a young man who is brought into a public arena where he must choose one of two identical doors to open without knowing behind which is a beautiful lady and an fierce, hungry tiger

In the Short Story The Lady, or the Tiger? Frank R. Stockton sets before the reader the dilemma of a gladiator who faces his fate in the arena standing before two doors. He must choose which of them to open. Behind one door waits a hungry tiger. Behind the other is a lovely maiden.

Jesus presents us with a similar dilemma in this parable. Behind one door to the Kingdom waits the tiger of Divine wrath. Behind the other door stands the fair maiden of grace. Jesus, in today’s Gospel, envisions a crowd, clamoring at the entrance to get in. But the door will be closed and locked to them. Grace will not be granted to the multitudes battering the gates of Heaven. What is not available to the masses of seeking pilgrims can be obtained, one person at a time, if each will strive to enter by way of the narrow door.

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Narrow Stadium Gates

Have you ever been among the great crowd moving toward the entrance to a big-time football game? At first the entrance seems wide and open to all, but once you begin seriously pushing and struggling to go in, you discover that the gate is not wide at all. The broad gate narrows down to a turnstile where you enter one by one, and the keeper says, “Hold your own ticket, please.” 

The football game analogy serves as a powerful reminder that while the path to salvation may initially appear accessible to all, it is ultimately a personal and focused journey. By embracing the challenge of spiritual growth and nurturing our relationship with God, we can ensure our entrance through the narrow gate and secure our place in the eternal kingdom.

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Bad Accident

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I think of what happens on the freeway or expressway when there is a bad accident. The police close off three lanes; only one single lane is open, which is like the narrow door. All the traffic slows down and at times comes to a complete stop because of the bottleneck. As I think of the narrow door Jesus refers to, I see people all bunched up like cars on the freeway, moving very slowly, trying to squeeze through the one open lane. Drivers are upset. They are fussing and fuming and making obscene gestures at each other. Cars and tempers are overheating. The bottleneck is a pain in the neck.

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King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table

In the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, a vision of the Holy Grail comes to Sir Gawain. He vows to set off in search of it the very next day. All the other Knights of the Round Table vow that they, too, will go in search of the sacred chalice. But they will not journey together. As dawn breaks the following morning, each of the knights enters the forest alone, where he perceives it to be the darkest and the thickest. No knight follows a pathway. To do so would be to go where someone else had already searched.

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“Pointed” Humor

According to an anonymous storyteller, three people who died found themselves together before the Gate of Heaven. When asked by St. Peter what they had done to gain entrance, the first answered, “I was a physician and I helped many people to recover from their illnesses.” Peter admitted the doctor to Heaven.

He then questioned the second person similarly, “Why should I let you in?” In response, she explained, “I was an attorney and I defended the rights of many innocent people.”  “Welcome to your eternal home”, said Peter.

Then he put the same question to the third candidate who replied, “I was the administrator of a Health Management Organization and I managed to keep health care costs to a minimum.” After a few moments of thought, Peter decided, “You may come in,” he said, “but you can stay for only three days!” 

Pointed humor like this entertains while it teaches. The story of Peter and the three potential residents of eternity illustrates the truth that earthly words and works have eternal consequences. This does not suggest that Heaven can be merited or earned by any human activity. Eternal happiness will forever remain a gracious gift of God. Nevertheless, the manner in which God’s gifts are appropriated in time and space will have a bearing on the enjoyment of those gifts within that reign that perdures beyond time and space. (Patricia Datchuck Sánchez).

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Venerable Fulton Sheen