Daily Readings - Sun Sep 07 2025
Philemon
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
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
In today’s readings, we are invited to reflect on the nature of discipleship and our relationship with God. The first reading from the Book of Wisdom reminds us of the limitations of human understanding and the need for divine wisdom. It highlights our inability to fully grasp God’s plans without the guidance of the Holy Spirit. This humbles us, acknowledging that our perceptions and foresight are incomplete, and that true wisdom comes from above.
The second reading from the Letter to Philemon offers a powerful example of reconciliation and compassion. Paul appeals to Philemon to welcome Onesimus, a former slave, as a brother in Christ. This reading challenges us to see others through the eyes of God, valuing spiritual bonds over worldly relationships. It calls us to live out our faith in practical ways, prioritizing love and forgiveness.
In the Gospel, Jesus presents a radical challenge: to follow Him, we must be willing to let go of everything, even our closest relationships and possessions. This is not about hating our loved ones, but about recognizing that our ultimate allegiance is to God. Jesus uses the parables of the tower builder and the king going to war to emphasize the need for discernment and commitment. True discipleship requires us to count the cost and be willing to carry our cross daily.
These readings remind us that following Christ is not a part-time endeavor but a total commitment. They call us to humility, compassion, and radical trust in God. As we navigate our daily lives, let us ask for the wisdom to see beyond our limitations, the grace to love as God loves, and the courage to embrace the challenges of discipleship with faith and perseverance.