Sep 6, 2025
23rd Sunsday - "A demanding Lord?"
Luke 14: 25-33
The Word: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/090725.cfm
O God, by whom we are redeemed and receive adoption,
look graciuosly upon youjr beloved sons and daughters,
that those who believe in Christ
may receive true freedom
and an everlastingin inheritance.
Through out Lord Jesus Christ your Son,
who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.
(Opening Collect of Mass)
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A Catholic school teacher once asked her eager 10 year old students to hold up their hands if they would give $1 million to the missionaries. All their hands went up immediately and they shouted “Yes.” She then pushed the point further and asked if they would give $1,000, then $100 and each time they eagerly all waved their hands in the air and shouted a firm “Yes.”
Then she asked a final time if they would give even $1
to the missionaries. They once again
shouted “Yes” except for one boy who did not raise his hand this time. The teacher asked him “Why didn’t you say
‘Yes’ this time?” The boy said, “Well, I actually have a dollar.” Can we let go of one dollar for a higher good?
What about Jesus’ own words about the true cost of
being his disciple? Jesus makes at first three inhuman demands on us to be his
disciples: to hate one’s family members, including your parents; to carry
the cross, and to give up all your possessions. I’m not sure about you but
I would reassess my desire to follow Jesus if he literally means this.
That to follow him will not be the easy or necessarily
the popular way. Masses of people followed him following for a variety of
reasons: his teaching, healing, compassionate manner and his evident power for
everyone wants to be on the winner’s side. To an oppressed and exploited people
his presence was the longed-for hope.
Over the last several Sunday’s Jesus has been rather
harsh in our choice of Gospels as he lays out for us his demands of Christian
discipleship – and they have not been comfortable. We’ve heard about divisiveness in families
over matters of faith, about humility, and the narrow gate to salvation. This
Sunday we hear Jesus speaking of hate towards family members and about
renouncing all possessions. These are
tough words and perhaps the most controversial he spoke
Is he asking the impossible for the average person? In
the end this is a lesson is detachment. It is not just about being a disciple
but about being a serious disciple. Not
saying, “I’ll follow you Lord” and then when reality hits, you say: “Well, on second
thought.”
Jesus taught in the style of the ancient rabbis. They exaggerate to drive home a point, often
by using shocking examples: cut off your hand and pluck out your eye! It
emphasizes the seriousness of sin and is hard to forget since sometimes we need
a knock on the head.
Yet, the word is a strong one and Jesus’ demand is not
wishy-washy. The clincher is at the end
of today’s Gospel passage: “Anyone who does not renounce all his possessions
cannot be my disciple.” So, Jesus words imply both a requirement and a
certain attitude towards what I may consider is of great value in my life. What or who can I not live without? What or who is my most precious
possession? What is possessing me rather
than be seen as temporary. What or who might I consider irreplaceable? Most of us would always choose people over
possessions but is Jesus asking more?
For those families who may have experienced the loss
of their home in a fire or most recently in a hurricane understand how valuable
are the family members rather than the stuff in their home. You can’t replace
people like things. But, today Jesus words about “hating father and mother,
wife and children, brothers and sister, even his own life . . .” can really
cause us to question Jesus.
The same may be true about the images he uses in the
Gospel of a builder and a King who marches into battle. They make great efforts to calculate and plan
their next move. They measure carefully to
construct a building that will be strong and last many years and they calculate
the size of the opposing army in relation to their own. All this takes a
certain common sense and skill. Yet is this some sort of backhanded approval of
military action?
Putting this all together, and understanding that
Jesus’ words may imply a different kind of “hate” in its original context we
may find his call to discipleship may not be as heart wrenching in its
implication as first impresses. Still, it is a serious challenge that demands
an assessment of our priorities.
So, really the implication is not to “hate” family
members in the sense of hostility but more to greatly prefer something else
when faced with a choice. To have God above all things and people rather than
to make “gods” of things and people. To follow the Lord; to live by his values
and morals and to prefer nothing else that would be less than that. In the same
way, to not be attached to people or possessions in a way that would distract
me from the higher value of following the Lord.
I “hate” this thing or even this relationship because it is blocking the
greater need to develop a relationship with Christ. Ultimately, to know that
even when it comes to family and the “stuff” I have, when in conflict, I would
always choose God above all others.
These are tough words to be sure but in the larger context of daily
Christian living, they make sense if we take our discipleship seriously.
Christian history has provided many inspiring examples
of those who took these words literally:
St. Francis of Assisi, St. Thomas Moore, and St. Teresa of Calcutta
among many others. So, while it may seem
daunting, we know with the grace of God all is possible. These were not just
followers of the Lord – they were true disciples of Jesus and that is where we
are all called to go. Conversion is a daily process of prayer, reflection,
common sense, and perseverance. Like the builder and the King in the Gospel, we
must also be calculating in the overall value we place upon our life of faith
and our relationship with God
So, maybe basic question to ask ourselves is “Am I a
follower of Christ or am I his disciple?” Am I willing to engage in serious discipleship?
Aug 29, 2025
22nd Sunday - The Guest book
(Neon Wang: Unsplash)
The Word:
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/083125.cfm
One day a follower of St. Francis of Assisi, Br.
Mateo, came to him in frustration and asked him: “Why you? Why you?” St.
Francis responded to this Friar and said: “What do you mean?” The brother
answered, “Why does the whole world follow you? Every person wants to see you,
to hear you, and to obey you. You’re not a good-looking man, you’re not of
great learning. you’re not noble, why then does everyone want to follow you?”
On hearing this St. Francis rejoiced greatly in
spirit. He raised his face towards
heaven in prayer. Then he turned to Br. Mateo and said: “Do you want to know
why me? Do you want to know why the whole world follows me? It is because the
most holy Lord intends to do a wonderful work and a merciful Lord has not seen
among men a more detestable and more worthless and more loathsome man than me.”
Br. Mateo was wonderstruck at the humility of St. Francis.
What we learn from this short story is that humility
is not about thinking less of yourself but of thinking of yourself less. The
powerful parable that Jesus tells in the home of a leading Pharisee reveals
that following the Lord and living in this world is not about competing for the
best place or fame or power or glory but more about thinking low to be raised
high.
These readings this Sunday really do challenge our
perception of what is important in this life. It’s about rethinking our place
and seeing ourselves in relationship to God and then our place with each other.
The first reading from Sirach states: “My child,
conduct your affairs with humility and you will be loved more than a giver of
gifts. Humble yourself the more, the greater you are, and you will find favor
with God.” (Sir 3: 17-18). That seems crystal clear yet how best to achieve
that without drawing attention to ourselves, going through the motions with no
real inner conviction, or to put aside our natural desire to seek affirmation
or honor is not always easy.
So, as Jesus entered the home of a leading Pharisee
and those of his like-minded movers and shakers who were among the wealthy and
influential, he finds that they observe him. What are they wanting to see from
the Lord? The scripture implies that
this so-called observation was not one of esteem but rather one of suspicion.
Where will Jesus trip up? What will he say or do that will support their
suspicions that although more crowds are following him, his goal is to
challenge their leadership and create even more serious opposition. They
already questioned his teachings.
That being so, Jesus now turns on his hosts and
implies that all this jockeying around for positions of honor among them was
seen by Jesus as a teachable moment.
Where you sat, who you were with and with whom you were seen was not the
way of his teaching, despite it being a cultural norm. What may appear
insulting to his host on the part of our Lord was a call to conversion by his
listeners that Jesus could not pass up. In the end it is not honor from others
we should seek but rather honor from God who will decide the seating placement
at his banquet. Think low, think of yourself less and take the lowest place.
Isn’t this what God himself did in entering this
world? Jesus never lorded his power over others nor coerced anyone to be his
follower. He entered our darkest and deepest root cause of sin. He joined with the lowest, the outcasts, the
unloved and became a living model of humility.
He refused to enter the endless competition for power and prestige. He
truly emptied himself for our sake.
Luke relates this banquet image as the place where
Jesus took center stage in radically changing the cultural and religious
expectation to reveal an important moral lesson about table behavior which
symbolizes our place before God. In this
case it is a lesson about humility in place of viewing oneself as somehow
entitled or privileged to sit “in a place of honor.” Who has a place at our
“table” – our lives?
Favors were based on reciprocity: you do me a favor then I do you a favor, back
and forth. But, if our whole life is focused on honor, attention, surrounding
ourselves only with others who can pay us back, “keeping up with the Jones’s,
“or if our parish life is focused on only one class of parishioners or those
who keep us comfortable, then we have a misguided sense of who belongs at our
table. Yet, in the parable he tells, Jesus turns the priority elsewhere and teaches
about kingdom behavior.
So, it begins with this radical invitation to think
differently and reorient our lives in the direction the Lord shows in order to
gain a place of honor of God’s kingdom In the end we know that humility should
be a part of every disciple’s life. Further, Jesus advises, if we want to seek
favor from anyone, it should at best be from God. This, once again, is a further reminder of
how we must be in this world of ours – how I choose to be Christian and show
Christ Jesus to others around me.
Our Eucharist gatherings can only be authentic as
Jesus intended when we always scoot over and admit there is still room for
more, for any who would like to join with us. To do otherwise, in our attitude
or perception, is to be contrary to a Christian spirit.
------------------------------------------
God of might, giver of every good gift,
put into our hearts the love of your name,
so that, by deepening our sense of reverence,
you may nuture what is good
and, by your watchful care,
keep sare what you have nurtured.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit.
(Collect for Sunday:
Roman Missal)
Aug 23, 2025
21st Sunday: Are you last or first?
There was a custom in rabbinic circles of Jesus’ time
to test if one was able to explain the law of God on one foot. As strange as that may sound the very summary
of the sacred law by Jesus in another passage can be recited on one foot with
good balance: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and
strength and love your neighbor as yourself.” In other words, what is the
essence of the sacred law? What is the core
belief around which one builds his life and his religious principles? Standing on one foot might seem strange to
say the least and maybe even comical but it makes the point about getting to
the kernel of truth.
What would be the essence of the law of the Church –
Canon Law. That body of rules, laws, regulations that governs our Catholic
life. Even more concise, it is the
salvation of souls. All we do and
believe in has as its ultimate purpose, the salvation of our souls. Faith in
Jesus Christ as Lord and savior is essential, and all law and rule stand upon
that.
Last Sunday we heard of a fire Jesus desires to cast upon the earth not for peace but for division. This Sunday we hear that our Lord challenges us to walk through a narrow gate and about "wailing and grinding of teeth" and about "evil doers." What is our Lord up to?
That discipleship means something. That to follow Christ demands a certain level of determination and single mindedness. The narrow gate image may well be a sign not of God wanting to keep people out of the kingdom but rather a reminder to us that we must leave behind certain things; any baggage that keeps us out such as our own sin, attachments, our greed, pride, selfishness. You can’t walk through a narrow door with a backpack stuffed with many things. Just ask anyone who has flown on a plane about that one.
So, the context of our Gospel this Sunday is Jesus’
answer to a question from an interested follower but a Jew speaking to a Jew, a
respected teacher (Rabbi) about salvation: “Lord, will only a few people be
saved?” In the context of Jewish
understanding and culture, only the chosen people, the Jews, would be saved and
all else will be lost. The chosen can “stand on one foot” and be assured that
they alone will be with God in eternity.
It concerns privilege and entitlement not as a social
or economic condition but as one of religion. The thinking may go like this:
“Because I am among the chosen, following all the prescripts of the Law, I will
be saved. For those who are not, they
will be lost. It is my inheritance; my
entitlement because of who I am and the people I am descended from.”
This essence of salvation and who’s in and who is out
continues to be a subject of debate, especially in some Christian circles. For
example, are Catholics really Christians and are they saved or just caught up
in ritual and idolatry? Our Catholic sensitivities may find that offensive, but
it is a real question in some circles.
Jesus’ answer takes us well beyond restrictions and it does cause us to question our sense of reward or even justice. Our Lord says: “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough. It certainly seems to fit the one foot position that it all boils down to one core truth.
The road to salvation is not about privilege or
entitlement; it is about the mercy of God for those who will accept it – the
call to conversion. The gate is Jesus himself and our relationship with him.
Every person is called by a loving God to accept the
proposal he has offered through his Son but God will never interfere in our
free choice to accept or reject this life changing gift. Our choice must be free for love must be
expressed without coercion. We see this truth in the beautiful first reading
from Isaiah as God gathers, “. . . nations of every language . . .”
God does not expect us all to be perfect, to be
angels, to be without sin and immaculate. It is through his grace alone that we
can find holiness but to freely center our lives on God alone and see all other
attachments considering that faith. We can stand before him firmly planted on
both feet and still live with great hope.
Yet, what about the good, well-meaning non-Christian
who lives a lifestyle, according to their religious belief, that is compatible
with Christianity in the morals and values upheld? As the Church of the Second Vatican Council
states clearly that those “who through no fault of their own” do not know
Christ yet follow a life that seeks the common good indeed can be saved. They
faithfully follow God as they have come to believe he is. God desires that all
be saved, as our Lord clearly implies in his answer today.
So, I think anyone of us could justify ourselves based
upon our behavior. I can hear myself asking the similar question of Jesus:
“Lord, I’m doing my best, won’t I be saved?” In other words, where do I stand
on the question of my own righteousness?
I’m a good Catholic. I treat others with charity. I try to forgive rather than hold a grudge. I
attend Mass regularly and know they place other flowers in Church besides poinsettias
and lilies. As a priest, I do my best to remain faithful to what God has called
me for his service recognizing my own failings and human weakness.
In the end we simply don’t know who is where after
death. While the Church clearly explains
the afterlife consists of three “levels:” heaven, purgatory and hell, we still
don’t’ know who is where, a truth known only to God. The formally canonized
Saints among us we know are with God in heaven, yet most of humanity who has
died, literally only God truly knows. So, we rely on the mercy and promise
Christ has revealed to us and live a life compatible with the good Christ has
revealed.
So, what does this mean for this week?
1. Take time to
examine: What “baggage” am I carrying that won’t fit through the narrow door?
2. Ask God in prayer: Lord help me let go of pride, anger, or selfishness.
3. Do one concrete act of love – reconcile with
someone, volunteer, or spend time with someone in need.
It is faith in action with a humble and
self-sacrificing heart after the example of Jesus himself. Stand on both feet
before the Lord and walk always in his way. The treasure of our Church indeed
shows us the way.
Let us Pray:
O God who cause the minds of the faithful
to unite in a single purpose,
grant your people to love what you command
and to desire what you promise,
that amid the uncertainties of this world,
our hearts may be fixed on that pace
where true gladness in found.
(Collect from Roman Missal)