Homiletics of the Fathers of The Island of Patmos

THE PLAYERS OF RUGBY RUNNING TOWARDS THE NARROW DOOR OF SALVATION

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In this sport, played by fifteen athletes, at some point it happens that eight rugby players they all hug together and united they begin to move around the field, carrying the ball forward. It is the so-called scrum. Piano piano, moving compact, these eight, aided by the other seven companions, they overtake their opponents and carrying the ball forward they score a point and win the game. And with qhe concrete example we can introduce today's readings …

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Author:
Gabriele Giordano M. Scardocci, o.p.

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Dear brothers and sisters,

Maori dance of the players of rugby of New Zealand [click on the video]

there is a sport practiced a lot in the United Kingdom and France, but also in Italy: the rugby. In this sport, played by fifteen athletes, at some point it happens that eight rugby players they all hug together and united they begin to move around the field, carrying the ball forward: the so-called scrum.

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moving compact, these eight, aided by the other seven companions, little by little they overtake their opponents and by carrying the ball forward they score a point and win the game. And with qhe concrete example we can introduce today's readings [see Liturgy of the Word of this 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, WHO]. In particular, I refer to the old testamentary passage:

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«I will come to gather all the peoples and all the languages; they will come and see my glory " [Is 66, 18].

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The Prophet Isaiah speaks in the name of God to the people of Israel. Prophesy that, not only the Semitic peoples, but the whole world will be gathered. In the original Hebrew text, The term 'assembled' sounds like: Assemble, assembled and compacted to seek the glory of God. All believers will be united into one people: the church. How unique and common purpose will have to glorify God, ie show its beauty and truth of his mysteries.

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For us, a journey of faith It is therefore always Community, never explicitly alone in isolation or worse: only if we are ever more united to the Church, our parish and local community, little by little we can really walk towards God and enjoy the graces that He gives us. Of course, qT his journey towards God, although Community, certainly not without its obstacles. As he writes a letter to the Hebrews:“

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"It's part of your training that you suffer!» [EB 2, 5].

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Through the corrections in the face of mistakes and sins, but also through the experience of suffering, our journey of faith matures and grows slowly. In corrections, so, we always learn to entrust ourselves to the Lord who corrects our wrongs through the shepherds he wanted. This journey together, difficult and at the same time beautiful, also it requires a special effort. Jesus asks us in fact:

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"Strive to enter through the narrow gate, because many, I tell you, seek to enter, but they won't succeed " [LC 13, 28].

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The image of the narrow gate, It indicates that it is a smaller door, harder to take and pass. Why go to these ports must be small. Here then nand today's passage, the call being small, it is also an invitation from Jesus to close adherence to the message that he himself has taught us:

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' Verily I say: unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven [Mt 18, 3].

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The entrance leads into gesuana, therefore implies a continuity between faith and life, not simply a formal welcome and superficial to the Catholic faith. If we live this way, Jesus really be able to say to each of us, "I know you". Because first of all we were the ones who misunderstand Him, despite the invitations to be obedient to His Word. At the same time, But, it is Jesus who helps us and enter this narrow door: we are not alone, because He who is the way and at the same time the door of Eternal Life, he offers us grace as a fundamental help on this journey.

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Gustave Flaubert wrote in the opera Madame Bovary:

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"The future was a completely black corridor, who at the bottom had his door firmly closed ".

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May, close the door to safety in the dark. Let us therefore ask the Lord for the grace to open wide the doors of our heart, so that our future may be ever more open to the Infinite Trinitarian Love.

Amen!

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Rome, 24 August 2019

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