There’s a “Peanuts” cartoon that shows Charlie Brown getting up one morning and looking out the window. Dead of winter and snow covers the ground. It’s very cold but perfect for skiing. Charlie bundles up with several layers of clothing, puts on big gloves and his skies. When he moves toward the door, he discovered that he’s so bundled up that he can’t get through the door. He stands there screaming at the top of his lungs.

The image of Charlie Brown standing in front of the door and screaming, all bundled up and impossible to get through it, is a good image of many of us today. We want to follow Jesus and his gospel values. We are so sometimes bundled up with material possessions, material concerns and worries that we can not fit through the door. Like Charlie, we end up standing at the door and screaming.

Sometimes, it’s not our material possessions, concerns or worries that keep us from passing through the door. Rather, it’s the fear of what someone may think or someone may say about us. Many times, we become our own worst enemy. We listen in today’s gospel. Lord, are they few in number to be saved? Jesus says try to come in through the narrow door. The door isn’t too narrow. We are too worried and loaded down. We carry excess baggage.

Joe Garagiola, the former TV personality and great Major League catcher, tells about the time when Stan Musial came to the plate during a big game. Musial played for the Saint Louis Cardinals. Musial, a super hitter, was at the peak of his baseball career. The opposing pitcher was young and very nervous. Garagiola, as the catcher, called for a fastball, but the pitcher shook his head no. Joe then signaled for a curveball. Again, the pitcher signaled his head no, and sign after sign. Finally, after about the fourth sign, Garagiola went to the mound for a conference with his pitcher. Garagiola said I’ve called for every pitch in the book that you throw and you keep shaking your head no. Why? The nervous pitcher said nothing, that’s what I want to throw, nothing. I just want to hold onto the ball as long as I can.

You know, at some point in our lives we all find ourselves in the same situation as that pitcher. We have to let go of our fears, our worries, our need to be in control, let go of our doubts and throw the ball. Trust the Lord. The worst thing is to stand there and do nothing. In many ways, we define ourselves by the choices we make.