TWENTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

 FIRST READING:

 

WISDOM 9:13-18b

 

     This reading acknowledges that people have had

a difficult time attempting to know God’s wishes. 

At times we have difficulty understanding the things

that happen on earth.  Therefore, learning of things

in heaven would have been impossible, except that

God sent us wisdom and the Holy Spirit to help us

understand him.

 

SECOND READING:

PHILEMON 9-10, 12-17

     Paul writes to Philemon regarding Onesimus,

a slave who ran away and encountered Paul. 

Although Paul wished Onesimus could remain

with him, he did not want to violate Philemon’s

wishes.  Paul asks that Philemon receives his

friend Onesimus as a beloved brother, not as

a slave.  He closes by saying, “Welcome him

as you would me.”
 

GOSPEL:

LUKE 14:25-33

     Jesus warns people who wish to follow him

that they must abandon everyone else first. 

A person calculates the amount of money needed

to complete a project before they begin it. In the

same way, Jesus warns these people to consider

exactly what is involved before they make

a commitment to follow him.