Commentary

Sunday, 9/8/2019, Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

 

Listen to the Spirit

First Reading Commentary: Wisdom 9:13-18b

The book of Wisdom tells us that we cannot conceive what the LORD intends. This does not mean that we cannot understand what God wants for us. We know that God wants us to be with Him in the Kingdom and to achieve this, we must obey His commands. However, we cannot understand God Himself and we will not truly understand the Kingdom until we get there.

This is because our human minds are not on God's level and we do not think like God who knows all things, past present and future. God has no fear and knows exactly what He wants and what He is going to do. But for us; our deliberations are timid and our plans are unsure.

God’s thoughts are focused on the Kingdom and His desire to have us there with Him. Our thoughts are focused on this life here on earth and that which is of this world. But everything of this world is nothing more than temporary and will fade away. So, Wisdom tells us that the corruptible body burdens the soul and that the things which we find comfort in; cause us to have many concerns and they weigh heavily on our minds. In other words; we worry too much about the here and now in this life.

Have you ever frustrated yourself looking for something that was right in front of you? We all have. Anyone who believes in eternal life wants to make it to heaven but because of sin, we all get lost along the way. Wisdom tells us that heaven is in our grasp but it is difficult for us to find it. Again, that is because of the way that we think. But Wisdom also tells us that the Spirit was sent to give us counsel and those who listen to the Spirit will find their way to the Kingdom.

We sometimes hear the Spirit giving us counsel without recognizing it. That's because the Spirit talks to us through our conscience and we do not always pay attention. In other words, we sin because in the moment, we find sin more desirable. So, we have to constantly ask God to send His Spirit to us and we have to keep our minds and hearts open to the counsel that the Spirit does give us.

Forgive with Humility

Second Reading Commentary: Philemon 9-10, 12-17

In this letter, Paul urges Philemon to accept Onesimus who was a run-away slave converted by Paul to Christianity. Paul says, “I am sending him, that is, my own heart, back to you.”  Paul is expressing his love for and complete confidence in Onesimus as a Christian. Paul also expresses his desire to have Onesimus stay with him because he would like Onesimus to work with him for the gospel meaning that he would like Onesimus to be a disciple and minister for the gospel.

Paul shows his respect for Philemon’s position and tells Philemon that he did not want to do anything without Philemon’s consent. He does not want Philemon to feel like he is being forced but to take Onesimus back voluntarily. Paul is also following Jesus's teaching on not judging others and thereby, asking Philemon not to judge Onesimus.

In order for Philemon to honor Paul’s request, he must forgive Onesimus for running away and any other wrong doing. Paul is asking Philemon to forgive just as all of us should forgive each other. Forgiveness should come from the heart and we should want to forgive. Only then, can we expect to be forgiven by God for our own sins.

But Paul does not want Philemon to accept Onesimus as a slave but as a brother and as a man in the Lord. Paul said, “So if you regard me as a partner, welcome him as you would me.” By saying this, Paul is asking for a lot.

Paul does not want to get into a political discussion about slavery because once again, Paul does not want to judge. But Paul is hopeful that by making his request in this way; Philemon will get the message; give it some thought and erase the barrier of slave and master. Paul wants Philemon to not look down on Onesimus or consider himself, to be better than Onesimus. In other words, Paul is asking Philemon to exercise humility.

This letter is more than a request from Paul on behalf of Onesimus. This letter gives us the message of forgiving with humility and in order to do that, we have to accept others just the way they are.

Give Up Everything

Gospel Commentary: Luke 14:25-33

In today’s gospel, Jesus tells us that if we want to be with Him, we must be willing to give up everything. We have to be willing to give up family and possessions. There is nothing in this world with any value in heaven except our desire to be in heaven and that desire has to be strong enough for us to let everything else go.

This does not mean that we should let go of family morals and ethics. Jesus would never tell us to do that because that would run counter to the Second Greatest Commandment as well as the Commandment of honoring our fathers and mothers. Jesus said what He said to highlight the importance of making God number one in our lives.

We also have to carry our cross in life and follow Jesus. This means that we must accept our hardships in life. Jesus came out of His love for us to take all of our sins to the cross. We should remember this when we experience hard times. We are doing our part in helping Jesus to carry His cross when we accept our own and in so doing; our hardships become a blessing.

Jesus gave an analogy of someone wanting to construct a tower pointing out that if that person does not first take the time to calculate what the cost will be, they will not be able to finish the tower and will be laughed at. Jesus gave another analogy of a king marching into battle heavily outnumbered saying that the king will send a delegation to the opposing king asking for peace terms.

The message is that if we want to follow Jesus and be with Him in heaven, we must estimate what the cost will be so that we can be prepared. Jesus said, “In the same way, anyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.” Jesus is making it very clear that we have to understand that being with Him in heaven will cost us everything that we have in this life and we must be willing to pay that price.

There is no finer example of a disciple who was willing to pay the price than our Blessed Mother whose nativity we celebrate September 8th. Mary is the perfect example of everything learned in all of today’s readings.  Mary gave birth to Jesus, nurtured Him and watched Him grow. She shared His joys and shared His pain. She endured the most horrific pain that any mother or father could endure.

Not only because she lost her Son but Mary watched Jesus take on the sins of the world and offer them up on the cross and she shared that pain. Mary did not know what all was going to happen when she said, “Yes” to the angel Gabriel but she said, “Yes” anyway because of her faith in God and she was prepared to pay whatever the price for that faith would be.

If we want to be with Christ, we must be like Mary. Why? Because the way to the Father is through the Son and the way to the Son is through His mother.

Reading 1          Wisdom 9:13-18b

Who can know God’s counsel, or who can conceive what the LORD intends?
For the deliberations of mortals are timid, and unsure are our plans.
For the corruptible body burdens the soul and the earthen shelter weighs down the mind that has many concerns.
And scarce do we guess the things on earth, and what is within our grasp we find with difficulty; but when things are in heaven, who can search them out?
Or who ever knew your counsel, except you had given wisdom and sent your holy spirit from on high?
And thus were the paths of those on earth made straight.

Responsorial Psalm          Psalm 90:3-6, 12-17

R. (1) In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.

You turn man back to dust, saying, “Return, O children of men.”
For a thousand years in your sight are as yesterday, now that it is past, or as a watch of the night.
R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.

You make an end of them in their sleep; the next morning they are like the changing grass, Which at dawn springs up anew, but by evening wilts and fades.
R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.

Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain wisdom of heart.
Return, O LORD! How long?
Have pity on your servants!
R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.

Fill us at daybreak with your kindness, that we may shout for joy and gladness all our days.
And may the gracious care of the LORD our God be ours; prosper the work of our hands for us!
Prosper the work of our hands!
R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.

Reading 2          Philemon 9-10, 12-17

I, Paul, an old man, and now also a prisoner for Christ Jesus, urge you on behalf of my child Onesimus, whose father I have become in my imprisonment; I am sending him, that is, my own heart, back to you.
I should have liked to retain him for myself, so that he might serve me on your behalf in my imprisonment for the gospel, but I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that the good you do might not be forced but voluntary.
Perhaps this is why he was away from you for a while, that you might have him back forever, no longer as a slave but more than a slave, a brother, beloved especially to me, but even more so to you, as a man and in the Lord.
So if you regard me as a partner, welcome him as you would me.

Gospel          Luke 14:25-33

Great crowds were traveling with Jesus, and he turned and addressed them, “If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.
Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.
Which of you wishing to construct a tower does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if there is enough for its completion?
Otherwise, after laying the foundation and finding himself unable to finish the work the onlookers should laugh at him and say, ‘This one began to build but did not have the resources to finish.’
Or what king marching into battle would not first sit down and decide whether with ten thousand troops he can successfully oppose another king
advancing upon him with twenty thousand troops?
But if not, while he is still far away, he will send a delegation to ask for peace terms.
In the same way, anyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.”