Daily Readings - Sun Sep 04 2022

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.

Luke

Chapter 14

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.