Gospel: September 7, 2025
September 7, 2025 (Sunday)
23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Psalter: Week 3 / (Green)
Ps 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14 & 17
In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
1st Reading: Wisdom of Solomon 9:13-18b
Indeed, who can know the intentions of God? Who can discern the plan of the Lord? For human reasoning is timid, our notions misleading; a perishable body is a burden for the soul and our tent of clay weighs down the active mind. We are barely able to know about the things of earth and it is a struggle to understand what is close to us; who then may hope to understand heavenly things?
Who has ever known your will unless you first gave him Wisdom and sent down your holy spirit to him? In this way you directed the human race on the right path; they learned what pleases you and were saved by Wisdom.
2nd Reading: Philemon 9-10, 12-17
Yet I prefer to request you, in love. The one talking is Paul, the old man, now prisoner for Christ. And my request is on behalf of Onesimus, whose father I have become while I was in prison. In returning him to you, I am sending you my own heart. I would have liked to keep him at my side, to serve me, on your behalf, while I am in prison for the gospel, but I did not want to do anything without your agreement, nor impose a good deed upon you without your free consent. Perhaps Onesimus has been parted from you for a while so that you may have him back forever, no longer as a slave, but better than a slave. For he is a very dear brother to me, and he will be even dearer to you. And so, because of our friendship, receive him, as if he were I myself.
Gospel: Luke 14:25-33
One day, when large crowds were walking along with Jesus, he turned and said to them, “If you come to me, unwilling to sacrifice your love for your father and mother, your spouse and children, your brothers and sisters, and indeed yourself, you cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not follow me, carrying his own cross, cannot be my disciple. Do you build a house without first sitting down to count the cost, to see whether you have enough to complete it? Otherwise, if you, have laid the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone will make fun of you: ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’ And when a king wages war against another king, does he go to fight without first sitting down to consider whether his 10,000 can stand against the 20,000 of his opponent? And if not, while the other is still a long way off, he sends messengers for peace talks. In the same way, none of you may become my disciple, if he doesn’t give up everything he has.
Lectio Divina:
“The cost of love is sacrifice.”
Read: The Book of Wisdom reflects on the limits of human reasoning in contrast to the mind of God. Saint Paul’s letter to Philemon discusses forgiveness and reconciliation. Jesus teaches us that following him involves the cost of self-sacrifice.
Reflect: When I was ordained, my parents each wrote their own message on a greeting card. My Dad wrote, “We are very proud of you, but only you will know the cost.” They understood that accepting God’s call to be a priest had its many joys but also its share of sacrifices, as one lays aside one’s own plans, and accepts being sent to different locations. Underneath our individual vocations lies the general call to be the Lord’s disciple. We all have sacrifices to make in following Christ, as the sincerity of our discipleship is expressed through acts of love and dedication for others in all sorts of circumstances. The cost of love is sacrifice, of offering oneself for the good of another. This is the way of the Lord. The cost of this self-giving love is also counted in being willing to forgive, as this opens the door to new possibilities rather than simply rehearsing old grudges.
Pray: Pray for reconciliation with someone who is at odds with you.
Act: Do something for another that you have been putting off.
