• HOME
  • WHO WE ARE
    • History
    • Dominican Spirituality
    • Life and Mission
    • Associates
      • Ireland
      • South Africa
      • Associates Stories
        • Mary Mc Crae
        • Niamh Smith
        • Janice Mc Garry
    • Dominican Saints
      • Saint Dominic
      • Thomas Aquinas
      • Saint Catherine
      • Fra Angelico
      • St. Agnes of Montepulciano
      • St. John Macias
      • A poem for Jubilee Year
    • Books
    • Child Safeguarding Policy
  • WHAT WE DO
    • Ecology
      • An Tairseach- Dominican Farm and Ecology Centre
      • 2020 – Programme of events
    • Justice
    • Education
      • Dominican Ethos in Schools
      • Secondary Schools ROI
      • Secondary Schools NI
      • Primary Schools
      • Special Schools
      • Third Level
      • Lumen Dominican Centre Sion Hill
        • Lumen Dominican Centre
    • Sacred Preaching Space
    • Ecumenism
    • Pastoral Care
    • Other Ministries
  • WHERE WE ARE
    • Ireland
    • North America – Louisiana
    • Latin America
    • South Africa
    • Portugal
      • Archives
  • VOCATIONS
    • Becoming a Dominican Sister
    • Vocation Stories
      • Sr Margaret MacCurtain OP
      • Sr Bridget O’Driscoll OP
      • Sr Elizabeth Clifford OP
      • Sr Francis Cosgrove OP
      • Sr. Aedris Coates OP
      • Sr. Margaret Kelly OP
      • Sr. Joan O’Donovan OP
      • Sr Sabine Schratz OP
      • Sr. Liz Smyth OP
      • Sr. Eileen O’Connell
      • Sr. Edel Murphy OP
      • Sr. Kathleen Fitzsimons OP
      • Sr. Paul Cloete OP
      • Sr Athanasius Melican OP
      • Sr. Rose McLarnon OP
      • Sr. Eileen McCarthy OP
    • Vocations
  • SAFEGUARDING
    • Child Safeguarding Policy
    • Child Safeguarding Statement
    • Contact Details
  • TV
    • NEWS
      • ChurchTV
      • Photo Gallery
  • CONTACT
    • GDPR
    • Data Retention and Erasure Policy
    • Privacy Notice
    • Web Privacy Statement
    • User Agreement
    • Cookie Policy
facebook
twitter

Recent

17
AUG
2013

Twenty First Sunday in Ordinary Time

by : Céline Mangan
comment : 0

Twenty-First Sunday of the Year

Jesus continues his teaching mission on the journey up to Jerusalem. Rather than giving a direct answer to the question asked on the way: “Will there be only a few saved?” Jesus tells a parable about doors. Opening and closing doors is often a theme of Jesus’ parables. For example, in a recent Sunday gospel, we had the man who wouldn’t open the door to a friend’s knocking until his persistence won the day. On the other hand, two weeks ago, we had the servant on the qui vive to be ready to open up at the first sign of his master’s return. Readiness is all.

In order to go through a very narrow door one has to have clear vision and focus. Jesus tells them to “try your best” – a rather weak translation of the word that is actually there, agonizesthe, which means to struggle intensely – it is the word used of Jesus in the agony in the garden of Gethsemane. In the ancient world it was a word used of athletes getting ready for a contest and implied all the hardship which they (or their trainers) put them through to make themselves fit for action.

The door to the kingdom may be narrow, but it is clear from the passage that God can drag many through it, as “people from east and west, north and south will come and take their places at the feast in the kingdom.”  This “Gathering” is emphasised also in the first reading and the psalm. The ones who should find their way in, “who had eaten and drunk with him,” refer to the leaders of the people who had entertained him; people like Simon the Pharisee whom we encountered in a recent Sunday gospel. He wasn’t receptive to the message of Jesus, unlike the sinful woman who had gate-crashed the party. She is a clear example of the last phrase of the gospel: “The last shall be first…”

The picture shows the door of St. Dominic’s house in Fanjeaux where he spent some years preparing for his mission, a mission that would help many through the narrow door of faith.

 Sr Celine Mangan O.P21st sunday

About the Author
Céline Mangan, OP is currently Associate Professor of the Milltown Institute, Dublin, where she has recently completed a course on Contextual Approaches to the Bible. She has contributed to many journals, especially to Scripture in Church and has wide experience in giving talks, workshops and courses to a variety of groups.

Social Share

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

*
*

captcha *

Sr Columbia OP - Reflection for a Nun's Life Ministry

April 01, 2021

Advent Calendar' - a poem by Dr Rowan Williams narrated by Sr Eileen O Connell OP

December 14, 2020

In Memory Of Our Deceased Sisters November 19-November 2020

November 29, 2020
  • Posts
  • Categories
  • Tags
  • Easter Sunday – He is Risen… He is not here!
  • Holy Saturday ( 3 April 2021)
  • Good Friday -The Cross of Christ has Become our Tree of Life.
  • “Maundy Thursday, All the World is Still”, Malcolm Guite, 2020
  • Sr Columbia OP – Reflection for a Nun’s Life Ministry
  • Le Chéile Day 26 March 2021 – Unlocking
  • Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig 17th March 2021 
  • National Catholic Reporter: News — Iraqi sisters hope pope’s visit shows the world their country’s suffering
  • World Day of Prayer (A Women LED, GLOBAL, ECUMENICAL MOVEMENT) Press Release
  • World Day Of Prayer 5th March 2021
  • An Tairseach (29)
  • Dominican Associates (3)
  • Dominican News (255)
  • Education (68)
  • Events (85)
  • Good News (76)
  • Highlights (26)
  • Home Page Slider (18)
  • Ireland (80)
  • Justice (67)
  • Latin America (29)
  • Louisiana (17)
  • News (393)
  • Our Regions (8)
  • Poems (5)
  • Portugal (14)
  • Prayers (16)
  • Proclaiming (6)
  • Professions (4)
  • Reflections (11)
  • Rest Of The World (5)
  • Sacred Space (4)
  • South Africa (23)
  • Stories (21)
  • Uncategorized (276)
  • Vatican II- Remembering (7)
  • Vocations (14)
  • Women Preachers (12)
Dominican Women South Africa Reflection Vatican II Mission and Ministry God An Tairseach Baptism Art Chaplain Hello Logo Pauline Hospital Portugal Louisiana Ireland Mindfulness in Education Froebel College of Education The Woman at the Well Lay participation in Parish Life Compassion illness RIP Rest In Peace Mary Magdalen Spring

Twitter

  • RT @BA_McShane: Join me in conversation with Alan Hayes of @ArlenHouse on Saturday to pay tribute to the late, great Dr Margaret MacCurtain… 125 days ago
  • RT @rogerchilds2u: @sinead_mccoole @UCC @DominicanSrsCab @UCDHistory @burnslibrary @ArlenHouse Thank you for such an elegant, touching and… 185 days ago
  • RT @sinead_mccoole: Dr Margaret MacCurtain's life spanned 9 decades, 1000s of lives were enriched @UCC @DominicanSrsCab @UCDHistory @burnsl… 185 days ago

Search Our Site

Recent Posts

  • Easter Sunday – He is Risen… He is not here!
  • Holy Saturday ( 3 April 2021)
  • Good Friday -The Cross of Christ has Become our Tree of Life.
  • “Maundy Thursday, All the World is Still”, Malcolm Guite, 2020
  • Sr Columbia OP – Reflection for a Nun’s Life Ministry

Dominican Links

  • Dominican Ecology Centre
  • Dominican Contemplative Nuns at the Monastery of St Catherine of Siena
  • Order of Preachers
  • Dominican Friars
  • AMRI
  • Lay Dominicans Ireland

Our Ministries

  • Dominican Ecology Centre
  • Contemplative Outreach
  • Dominican Sisters International
  • Irish Archives Resource

Contact Us

  1. Name *
    * Please enter your name
  2. Email *
    * Please enter a valid email address
  3. Message *
    * Please enter message
Copyright © 2020 Dominican Sisters Cabra. All Rights Reserved. Please click GDPR Information.
Web DesignbyOrbit Technologies