Daily Catholic Mass Readings for September 4, 2022
First Reading: Wisdom 9.13-18
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Psalm 90
1Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations.2Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.3You return man to dust and say, "Return, O children of man!"4For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night.5You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning:6in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers.7For we are brought to an end by your anger; by your wrath we are dismayed.8You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence.9For all our days pass away under your wrath; we bring our years to an end like a sigh.10The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away.11Who considers the power of your anger, and your wrath according to the fear of you?12So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.13Return, O LORD! How long? Have pity on your servants!14Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.15Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, and for as many years as we have seen evil.16Let your work be shown to your servants, and your glorious power to their children.17Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!
Second Reading: Philemon 1.9b-10, 12-17
9yet for love's sake I prefer to appeal to you--I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus--10I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I became in my imprisonment.12I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart.13I would have been glad to keep him with me, in order that he might serve me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel,14but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own free will.15For this perhaps is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever,16no longer as a slave but more than a slave, as a beloved brother--especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.17So if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me.
Gospel: Luke 14.25-33
25Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them,26"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.27Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.28For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?29Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him,30saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.'31Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?32And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace.33So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the nature of wisdom, compassion, and the demands of discipleship. In the first reading from the Book of Wisdom, we hear that human understanding is limited and that true wisdom comes only from God. The author acknowledges the fragility of human thought and the burden of our earthly existence, which makes it difficult for us to grasp God’s plan. Yet, it is precisely through God’s gift of wisdom and the Holy Spirit that we can navigate life’s challenges and align our wills with His. This passage reminds us of our dependence on God and the need to seek His guidance in all things.
The second reading from the Letter to Philemon offers a beautiful example of how wisdom and compassion can transform relationships. Paul, writing while in chains, appeals to Philemon on behalf of Onesimus, a runaway slave who has become a brother in Christ. Paul’s words are a masterclass in humility and love. He does not demand justice or punishment but instead asks Philemon to receive Onesimus as a brother, not a servant. This reading highlights the power of forgiveness and the way faith can redefine even the most unequal relationships. It challenges us to see others through the lens of Christ and to act with the same kindness and generosity that God has shown us.
In the Gospel, Jesus presents a radical vision of discipleship. He tells us that following Him requires a willingness to let go of even the closest earthly ties and to bear the cross. This is not a rejection of love for family or life but a call to prioritize our relationship with God above all else. Jesus uses the parables of the tower builder and the king going to war to emphasize the need for discernment and commitment. True discipleship is not impulsive or half-hearted; it demands a deep surrender and a willingness to renounce everything for the sake of the Kingdom. These readings, taken together, remind us that living as a disciple of Christ is both a privilege and a challenge. It requires us to seek wisdom, to act with compassion, and to embrace the sacrifices that come with following Jesus. May we, like Paul and Philemon, allow the Holy Spirit to transform our hearts and our relationships, and may we be willing to pay the price of true discipleship.