Global Connections

Volume 8, Issue 4

ENTERING THROUGH THE NARROW GATE
(Matthew 7:13)

Sister Rosa Eunsoon Kim

The directional statement of the 24th Congregational Chapter invites us into
“caring for creation and the vulnerable on the periphery”, “in the spirit of Bishop Ketteler, a man keenly sensitive to the needs of the times” (Constitutions # 41).

It reminds us that being concerned about and serving the needs of the world is one of our missions which we should continue to do as Christians and members of the Sisters of Divine Providence. 

The call, as we know, is ‘a highly significant matter’ and has been found throughout the ages. In reality, however, it cannot be denied that sometimes we find ourselves feeling uncomfortable and burdened with the request, rather than willingly responding to it.

Why, then, are we reluctant to respond to the call and experience inconvenience? Perhaps we might say that it is hard enough living
our lives. Or perhaps it is because of the fear that a certain action we might take would cause us to lose what we believe is our security. So,
I would like to share reflections from Fr. Gabriel Vecchi OCSO.

God is too narrow, too restrictive, too different from me. The further away I perceive myself from God, the narrower this gate seems – so narrow that it seems almost closed. But the gate is not that narrow, nor is it closed. This gate seems narrow because the eye seeing it is narrow, the mind peering into it is narrow, the heart loving it is narrow. How can we change this? By desiring to change. The desire to change is already a change. Desiring the gate of God is already the beginning of its crossing. When we try to love God, who seems so narrow to us, the width of the gate remains the same, but the width of our heart, eyes and mind, does not. They expand and begin to accept with less and less resistance what previously seemed intolerable. The narrow gate is the gate of a new life, a life of forgiveness, meaning and union with God.

As I am reflecting on his saying, the way of overcoming fear seems not that complicated as Fr. Gabriel shows – just desiring to change, that is, changing one’s mind. To me, it seems that attempting to do so helps us realize that ‘caring for creation and the vulnerable on the periphery’
is not as hard as we think; “for my yoke is easy, and my burden light” (Matthew 11:30). In other words, we could pass through the gate of God without resistance. 

Therefore, I would like to conclude this reflection with my wishes and prayer that once again we all would have the courage to respond to the needs of the world and to meet at least one of them before courage faltered.

image:pixabay.com

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