Twenty-First Sunday of the Year August 24, 2025
Isaiah 66:18-21; Hebrews 12:5-7.11-13; Luke 13:22-30
This was not just a physical achievement, but also a spiritual and mental triumph. She began her dance with a prayer and concluded with a prayer. She was allowed only 15 minutes of rest every three hours, but her focus never wavered, even in the face of fatigue. Her teachers, family, classmates, and community stood by her side. Her Guru said afterwards: “This is something to be written in golden letters. It shows a rare balance of mind and body.”
Remona’s determination and discipline are not simply about a world record. They tell us something essential about the spiritual life: to achieve something meaningful, whether in art, service, or faith, we must strive, persevere, and enter through the narrow path.
Remona’s story is more than a record-setting performance; it is a living parable about striving for something greater, about walking a rigid and narrow path with perseverance and dedication.
It tells us something important about the Christian life and the words of Jesus in today’s Gospel: “Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able.” Someone had asked Jesus if only a few people would be saved, and instead of giving statistics, He gave an image, a narrow door that requires effort and focus to pass through.
Just as Remona did not casually dance her way into the world record books but endured years of preparation, strict discipline, and pain, our life of faith cannot be lived casually. It calls for striving, for perseverance, for commitment.
The narrow door, my friends, is not meant to scare us. It is intended to focus us. It tells us that we cannot carry everything into the Kingdom. Imagine trying to squeeze through a small doorway with arms full of luggage. You would have to put things down to pass. Spiritually, we must let go of pride, greed, resentment, ego, and selfishness.
It also tells us that effort is required. A wide door allows you to stroll in comfortably; a narrow one forces you to bend, squeeze, and make an intentional effort. Faith is not about drifting into heaven but about striving each day through prayer, forgiveness, acts of service, and a love that demands sacrifice.
And finally, the narrow door reminds us of urgency, for Jesus warns that once the master locks the door, those outside will knock and plead, “But we ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.” And He will say, “I do not know where you come from.” Familiarity with religion is not enough; living it with integrity is what counts.
The story of Remona comes alive here again. She trained in Bharatanatyam since the age of three, practising hours every day, and even as a student balancing her studies, she poured herself into preparation. She endured sleeplessness, physical pain, and exhaustion, but never gave up. Her performance reminds us that greatness is not accidental; it is born of discipline, perseverance, and a vision of something beautiful at the end.
Our faith journey, too, is like a sacred dance, where every prayer, every act of kindness, every sacrifice becomes a step in rhythm with God’s grace. Just as her community had cheered her on, we, too, have the Church, the saints, and the Eucharist supporting us in our journey toward the Kingdom.
The first reading from Isaiah today widens this reflection even further by reminding us that God’s invitation is for all people, all nations, every language, and every tribe. Salvation is not the privilege of a few but the universal gift of God. Yet although the invitation is universal, the response must be personal. No one else could dance in Remona’s place and live your faith for you. Your parents may guide you, your friends may encourage you, and your parish may support you, but in the end, your feet, heart, and choices must carry you through the narrow door.
What, then, does all this mean for us? It means that our faith must be intentional. We cannot simply drift through the motions of Christianity. We must strive daily in prayer, in reflection, in works of mercy. It means we must let go of excess baggage, the grudges, selfishness, or habits that weigh us down. It means we must endure hardships as moments of training rather than obstacles, recognising them as part of God’s loving discipline.
And above all, it means that while the door may be narrow, the banquet beyond it is vast. Jesus assures us that people will come from east and west, north and south, and take their places at the feast of the Kingdom. The table of God is generous, but to reach it, we must enter with open hands and hearts through the narrow door.
My dear friends, the story of Remona Pereira is not just about dance. It is about striving, refusing to give up even when tired, and letting discipline shape you into someone stronger and more beautiful. Her name is now inscribed in the Golden Book of World Records. But for us, the greater question is: will our names be written in the Book of Life? That depends on whether we strive each day, truly live the Gospel, or walk humbly and faithfully through that narrow door.
The narrow door is not easy, but beyond it lies eternal joy, the banquet of God’s Kingdom. So let us not be content with half-hearted discipleship or casual faith. Let us be like that young dancer, giving all our strength, devotion, and heart to the One who calls us. Then one day, we too will find ourselves in the eternal celebration, the dance of heaven, where every step is joy, every beat is love, and every heart is finally at home with God.
Happy Sunday
❤️
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