23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

 

My dear parishioners,

God is Good!!!  All the time!!!  And all the time!!!  God is Good!!!

Our first reading from the book of Wisdom comes from the central chapters of the book in which the author describes his experiences in the pursuit of wisdom. Surrounding this center are chapters exhibiting all the advantages enjoyed by those who are wise about the things of heaven. This reading may reflect the dream recorded in 1 Kgs 3:5–14 in which a young Solomon seeks a wisdom God alone can give.

The context for today’s Gospel is Jesus’ long journey (Lk 9:51—19:27) that will take him and his disciples to Jerusalem where ultimately he will be killed. Lk uses this journey as an opportunity for Jesus to teach his followers about the demands of being a disciple.

Discipleship demands single-minded loyalty. The Greek word translated as “hate” (misei) did not carry the same negative psychological implications for Jesus that it does for our contemporary culture. To hate someone infers intense feelings of aversion, loathing, detestation, and abhorrence. In Jesus’ culture of honor and shame, to hate someone meant to regard them with less esteem, to prefer them less than someone else. This is the way Jesus chooses to express the demands of discipleship. It demands total and complete focus on the kingdom of God. Absolute loyalty to Jesus and his mission is required of every disciple. It even surpasses the loyalty demanded by one’s family.

Every disciple of Jesus must be prepared to endure suffering. The image Jesus uses is that of carrying one’s cross. The practice of crucifixion can be traced back to Persia at least 300 years before the time of Jesus. Because of its brutality, the “cross” became a metaphor for painful suffering of all kinds. For Jesus, however, the cross is not a metaphor; it is a concrete reality at the end of this lengthy journey to Jerusalem. As the Master goes, so goes the disciple. Being a follower of Jesus requires the willingness to suffer what he suffered.

Be prepared. The passage closes with two examples of the necessity of being ready for a challenging task. One example has to do with constructing a tower and the other focuses on going into battle. The point is the same in both cases. One should not undertake a difficult challenge without being carefully prepared for all the demands that will be required for success. Lack of preparedness results in failure and humiliation. What Jesus is talking about is the need to consider carefully the demands of being one of his disciples. Do not approach discipleship superficially. Everything— including possessions—must take second place to the kingdom of God.

Excerpts from “Sunday Homily Helps”, is used by permission of Franciscan Media. www.FranciscanMedia.org. All rights reserved

Sincerely in Christ,

Fr. Aloysius