Daily Catholic Mass Readings for September 8, 2019
First Reading: Wisdom 9.13-18
13For who among men can know the counsel of God? Or who can imagine the will of God14For the thoughts of mortals are timid, and our foresight is uncertain15For the corruptible body weighs down the soul, and this earthy dwelling presses many thoughts upon the mind16And we assess with difficulty the things that are of earth, and we discover with labor the things that are within our view. So who will search out the things that are in heaven17Moreover, who will know your mind, unless you give wisdom and send your holy spirit from on high18And in this way, those who are on earth are corrected in their path, and men learn the things that are pleasing to you
Psalm 90
1A prayer of Moses, the man of God. O Lord, you have been our refuge from generation to generation2Before the mountains became, or the land was formed along with the world: from ages past, even to all ages, you are God3And, lest man be turned aside in humiliation, you have said: Be converted, O sons of men4For a thousand years before your eyes are like the days of yesterday, which have passed by, and they are like a watch of the night5which was held for nothing: so their years shall be6In the morning, he may pass away like grass; in the morning, he may flower and pass away. In the evening, he will fall, and harden, and become dry7For, at your wrath, we have withered away, and we have been disturbed by your fury8You have placed our iniquities in your sight, our age in the illumination of your countenance9For all our days have faded away, and at your wrath, we have fainted. Our years will be considered to be like a spider’s web10The days of our years in them are seventy years. But in the powerful, they are eighty years, and more of these are with hardship and sorrow. For mildness has overwhelmed us, and we shall be corrected11Who knows the power of your wrath? And, before fear, can your wrat12be numbered? So make known your right hand, along with men learned in heart, in wisdom13Return, O Lord, how long? And may you be persuaded on behalf of your servants14We were filled in the morning with your mercy, and we exulted and delighted all our days15We have been rejoicing, because of the days in which you humbled us, because of the years in which we saw evils16Look down upon your servants and upon their works, and direct their sons17And may the splendor of the Lord our God be upon us. And so, direct the works of our hands over us; direct even the work of our hands
Second Reading: Philemon 1.9-10, 12-17
9but I beg you instead, for the sake of charity, since you are so much like Paul: an old man and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ10I beg you, on behalf of my son, whom I have begotten in my chains, Onesimus12So I have sent him back to you. And may you receive him like my own heart13I myself wanted to retain him with me, so that he might minister to me, on your behalf, while I am in the chains of the Gospel14But I was willing to do nothing without your counsel, so as not to make use of your good deed as if out of necessity, but only willingly15So perhaps, then, he departed from you for a time, so that you might receive him again for eternity16no longer as a servant, but, in place of a servant, a most beloved brother, especially to me: but how much so more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord17Therefore, if you hold me to be a companion, receive him as you would me
Gospel: Luke 14.25-33
25Now great crowds traveled with him. And turning around, he said to them26"If anyone comes to me, and does not hate his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, and yes, even his own life, he is not able to be my disciple27And whoever does not bear his cross and come after me, is not able to be my disciple28For who among you, wanting to build a tower, would not first sit down and determine the costs that are required, to see if he has the means to complete it29Otherwise, after he will have laid the foundation and not been able to finish it, everyone who sees it may begin to mock him30saying: ‘This man began to build what he was not able to finish.31Or, what king, advancing to engage in war against another king, would not first sit down and consider whether he may be able, with ten thousand, to meet one who comes against him with twenty thousand32If not, then while the other is still far away, sending a delegation, he would ask him for terms of peace33Therefore, everyone of you who does not renounce all that he possesses is not able to be my disciple
Sermon
In today's readings, we are invited to reflect on the nature of wisdom, compassion, and commitment in our journey of faith. The first reading from the Book of Wisdom reminds us of the limitations of human understanding and the necessity of divine wisdom. It highlights our frailty and the need for God's guidance to discern His will, emphasizing that true wisdom comes from Him.
The second reading from Philemon illustrates this wisdom in action through Paul's compassionate plea to Philemon. Paul's appeal for Onesimus, a former slave, demonstrates the transformative power of faith and love. It calls us to see others through the eyes of Christ, embracing them as brothers and sisters, and to act with forgiveness and kindness.
In the Gospel, Jesus challenges us to consider the cost of discipleship. He teaches that following Him requires total commitment, willingness to sacrifice, and trust in His plan. The parables of the tower and the king remind us to evaluate our readiness to embrace this commitment fully.
These readings connect by showing that wisdom leads to compassionate action and radical commitment. In our daily lives, we are called to seek God's wisdom, practice forgiveness, and trust in His plan, even when it demands sacrifice. Let us reflect on our commitment to Christ, trusting in His guidance and living out our faith with compassion and courage.