Twenty-Seventh Sunday Gospel C

The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith."  

· Have you ever felt like asking Jesus this same thing?

The Lord replied, "If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. 

· We increase our faith by exercising our faith. The more we exercise it, the more we are able to step out in a greater degree.  It is not that we do not have faith but that our faith at times may be weak because we are not exercising it.  The more we do so, the bolder we will be to exercise our faith in greater matters.

· Are we afraid to step out in faith because we are concerned more about ourselves than being obedient to God? Are we concern that if nothing happens it would look bad for us?

· The focus of our faith is the Lord and his power and not on our human weaknesses.

· The first thing we need is discernment to make sure that God is asking us to step out and act. Then we need courage to be obedient to God regardless of the consequences.

"Who among you would say to your servant who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, 'Come here immediately and take your place at table'?  Would he not rather say to him, 'Prepare something for me to eat. Put on your apron and wait on me while I eat and drink. You may eat and drink when I am finished'?  Is he grateful to that servant because he did what was commanded?  So should it be with you. When you have done all you have been commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.'"

· God judges us on our obedience to what he has asked us to do not on the results that occurred or did not occur. As Mother Theresa said: “God wants fidelity more than success.”

· What will you do as a result of your reflection on this teaching?

 "Love forgives many mistakes, while hatred imagines mistakes even where they do not exist." St. John Chrysostom

God, who loves us because he loves, forgives our many mistakes, when we repent. And then these mistakes are put behind him, so that he sees them no longer. If we follow his example, our lives would be freer and more peaceful. Unfortunately, many times we respond to hurts with anger, resentment, bitterness and sometimes real hate. We don't hate the sin, we hate the person who sinned against us. This hatred can become a trigger which is activated by the slightest action of the other person. Notice the difference between love and hate. Love makes our life serene; hate keeps us agitated and suspicious. One would think that we could see the difference and change course. Only by the grace of God and our openness to that grace.

 "Jesus is with you even when you don't feel his presence. He is never so close to you as he is during your spiritual battles. He is always there, close to you, encouraging you to fight your battle courageously. He is there to ward off the enemy's blows so that you may not be hurt." Saint Padre Pio

Often we feel alone in our struggles against the power of evil. But the truth is that we are never alone. For the struggle is not only ours but Christ's, who is in us. He has already defeated the enemy. We must make our own his victory over evil. His strengthening grace is there to help us remain faithful and not to cave in to the temptation. Each victory is a strengthening of our bond with God. Each defeat is an invitation to repent and depend more upon the Lord.  Because what we are striving for is life with God forever. The temptations are only distractions and attempts to give up our quest. Remember what God has done for us and what God desires for us. In our fight, let God take the lead and follow him.

 "If God has created me, then my faith tells me that I must live as a child of God. If Christ has saved you, then don't just memorize it--live it." St. Oscar Romero

Our lives are to be lives of actions, reflecting the reality of what God has and is doing in us. I can know and mouth the right words, but if I am not walking the talk, what good are my words. I am a child of God. I am redeemed by Christ and restored to friendship with God. The life I now should live is life in Christ. To live any other way is to deny the truth of my existence and the purpose of my existence. To live in the truth is to give glory to God for who he is and all he has done.

 "The Christian, like God, must love all men, not only the friends but also the enemies, not only the faithful but also the unbelieving. For all are God's creation, and to despise any is to despise the Creator." St. Clement of Alexandria

We are selective and exclusive. God is boundless and inclusive. When Jesus said what you do to the least, you do to me, he meant it. He created all out of love, knowing how we would respond or not respond to his love. He redeemed all of us, knowing that there will be those who reject the grace. He created and redeemed each of us out of his own goodness, not because of us. He has set the bar for us. Love what I love, Forgive whom I have forgiven. Not because of ourselves, but because of what he has done for us. To do otherwise would be a sinful act against him. If we want to be with him forever, then we have to with him in the present moment, loving what he loves.

 

Homily: Twenty-sixth Sunday Year C

 

Reading 1: We read from the prophet Amos last Sunday. He was called by God to be his prophetic voice to the northern kingdom of Israel, whose rulers and people had broken their covenant with God. He was sent to identify their sinful life and to warn them of the dire consequences, if they did not repent and be renewed in their relationship with God.

 

Today, we hear from Amos again. What is their sin? Complacency, apathy and insensitivity to the dire needs of others. How has the world repeated that scenario over the centuries! The French Revolution and the socialist revolution in Russia and to a small extent our own American Revolution.

 

But the question we are posed with is to what extent are we insensitive to the plight of others here in our own land and around the world? Have we mentally and emotionally isolated ourselves from these situations to the extent we seem to ignore them? Who are the prophets of today, calling us to hear the Word of God and to respond to the needs of the situation of others as God requires?

 

Gospel: The irony in the Gospel is that the rich man had so isolated himself from the reality of the poor man so that he didn’t have to deal with it. But in so doing he isolated himself from the bosom of Abraham, the root of his heritage. This is indicated by the chasm between the two.

 

Recognizing his dire strait, the rich man tried to intercede for his brothers. But he is told even a miraculous intervention will not make a difference, if one’s heart is closed and hardened like his.

 

The case in point. The spiritual leaders of Israel at the time were so hardened against Jesus. In spite of the prophets who had spoken God’s word to them about the coming Messiah, they still refused to accept Jesus or his message of salvation. This in spite of familiarity with the Word of God and witnessing the many signs and wonders he performed.

In fact, Jesus concludes that even when they will be made aware of his own resurrection, they still will refused to believe.

 

Do we sometimes isolate ourselves from the truths of reality for fear that it may call us to make a radical change in our lives? Do I prefer to see things through my colored lens and comfort zone rather than through the eyes of God? Am I so overwhelmed by the enormity of the task that I give up, accepting there is nothing I can do?

 

The Word of God is calling us to become the man or woman of God, doing what I can and must to be faithful to God. When I do, then my witness may become a catalyst and an example for others. My standard of measurement is to be God’s commands not what is commonly acceptable by society or what would make me fit into the crowd. Isolation and non-involvement are not the answers. Renewal and pressing on is what God desires, even if it means rejection by others.

 

Reading 2: What is the attitude God desires and expects of us, if we claim to be his? To be truly a man or woman of God! Have we consciously embraced and lived out of this identity? If we have not, the rest of what St. Paul doesn’t matter. But if we are trying to become more fully alive in Christ, then what Paul says becomes our marching orders.

 

“Seek after integrity, piety, faith, love, steadfastness and a gentle spirit.” Since we have made a profession of faith, our oath of allegiance to God, a statement of commitment, then our life-style should be so reflective.

 

Sometimes we get caught up with the daily struggles of life that we forget the end goal of our existence as a son or daughter of God. The daily struggles will only ensure my earthly existence. But I must also be concerned about my eternal existence, which will be based on how I embraced the call of God in my life in the present moment.

 "Seek God in all things and you shall find God by your side." St. Peter Claver

This is a reflection of the prophetic word of God to Jeremiah. "When you look for me, you will find me. Yes, when you seek me with all your heart, I will let you find me and I will change your lot." (Jeremiah 29:13-14) God never abandons us, even though we do not sense his presence. God desires us more than we desire him. When we seek the Lord, do we seek him for our sake or do we seek him because of who he is and what he has done? When we seek him for his sake, he will be with us. But when we seek him for our sake, he may not be with us, for our focus is ourselves and not him.

 Twenty-sixth Sunday Gospel C

Jesus said to the Pharisees:" There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day. And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man's table. Dogs even used to come and lick his sores. 

· Here is another parable reflecting Jesus’ teaching on the rich and the poor, an  emphasis in Luke’s Gospel.

o The rich man, in his luxury and comfort, is totally oblivious of the poor man. The rich man isn’t named, whereas the poor man is.

“When the poor man died, he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham.  The rich man also died and was buried, and from the netherworld, where he was in torment, he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. 

· Notice that the poor man doesn’t go to heaven but into the bosom of Abraham. This is an indication that this is the state of existence of those who were awaiting redemption and the coming of the Messiah. It is to these that Jesus descended to before his resurrection to preach the good news of salvation.

· The underworld where there was torment is the hell that we understand.

“And he cried out, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me.  Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering torment in these flames.' Abraham replied, 'My child, remember that you received what was good during your lifetime  while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented. 

Now, the rich man, deprived of his isolated comfort, recognizes the poor man as the beggar at   his door.  He did not provide for him on earth, but the rich man wants Lazarus to provide for him.

· Abraham reminds the rich man that he is where he is by his choice and Lazarus by his choice.

“Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go from our side to yours or from your side to ours.’ 

· Those awaiting redemption were in one state of existence and those who chose to be alienated from God were in another. A state of clear separation existed.

“He said, 'Then I beg you, father, send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they too come to this place of torment.' But Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.' He said, 'Oh no, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.' Then Abraham said, 'If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets,  neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.'" 

· Why do you think Jesus ended the parable this way? Remember he was speaking to the  religious leaders  Jesus was predicting that even when he himself will rise from the dead and be seen by many to be alive,  many of the religious leaders still  would refuse to believe that Jesus was the Messiah.

· What is our attitude towards our possessions? How readily do we share with others in need?

· Paul says that giving alms covers a multitude of sin. How do you understand this?

· What will change in your life as a result of your reflections on this parable?

 "Remember that when you leave this earth, you can take with you nothing that you have received, only what you have given: a full heart, enriched by honest service, love, sacrifice and courage." St/ Francis of Assisi

What a sobering thought! What we have received comes ultimately from God as gifts of his love. What we do with his gifts are to reflect our gratitude and good stewardship. Sometimes we fail to remember that all is gift. Sometimes we misuse the gifts God has given us. We are either the good servant who used what was given, not for his good but for the good of the one from whom he received or we are like the servant, who buried his gift, returning it to the giver without fruition. On the day of our judgment, we will have to give an account of our use of the gifts we received. Don't be wanting with nothing to show of lasting value. 

 "In failing to confess, Lord, I would only hide you from myself, not myself from you." St. Augustine

God in his great love provides us grace opportunities to be freed of our sins and to be restored to him in friendship. He doesn't want us to remain away from him and to enter deeper into the darkness of alienation. He gives us the Sacrament of Confession to make it easy for us to confess our sins. But when we refuse to do so, we only hurt ourselves, not him. We are rejecting his love and choosing to remain in the filth of sin. Maybe we are hedging our bets, hoping that we can go on sinning, but at the very end repent. What we are risking is eternal separation from God. Repent and return to the Lord. Take advantage of God's mercy and swallow your pride. Accuse yourself before the Lord in Confession rather than wait to be accused by the Lord for your lack of love and gratitude.

 "Tear your heart away from everything else; then seek God and you will surely find him." St. Teresa of Avila

God is not hidden from us, though he may be blocked. God is like the sun at noon. But if we in a closet we can not see him. He is not distant, but something else has our attention. In Jeremiah, God says that we should seek him with all our heart and then will find him. Distractions are part of the many blocks that interfere with our communion with God. But the very things that serve as distractions can serve as points of contact with God. As we come before the Lord, begin with praise and thanksgiving for all he has done for you. Prayer is not for us but to put us in the presence of God.

 "If you have wisdom, you understand that you were created for the glory of God and for your eternal salvation. This is your purpose, this is the center of your soul, this is the treasure of your heart." St. Robert Bellamine

Do you want to fulfill your purpose in life, your destiny for existence? Then, don't get distracted or sidelined by things that are not essential. Our destiny is our eternal salvation for the glory of God.  Adam and Eve let themselves be so distracted that they lost their relationship with God. God became flesh to restore us to our right relationship with him. We were given the gift of salvation, the atonement of our sins and a share in God's life. This is the treasure we are called to safe-keep, to guard even to the cost of our physical life. What a shame it will be that, after all that God has done for us through no merit of our own, we would forfeit the gift he has given for trinkets. Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for a pot of food. Beware of following his example. The pleasures of this life are transitory; the pleasures of life with God are eternal. 

 

Homily Twenty-fifth Sunday Year C

 

Reading 1: What is the focus of this passage? It identifies an attitude of a heart not in relationship with God. All is done for money, no matter at what price to others. God is not the center of this person’s life. The person can’t wait for the Sabbath restrictions are ended, so he can make more money. How? Not by honest gain, but by cheating, stealing, being unjust with no respect for human dignity or love of another. The focus is self and gaining more wealth.

 

Will God forget or not notice the attitude of the heart or the actions that flow from it? So what is the attitude of our heart concerning God’s role in our life? Is it out of obligation that we worship? Is it out of necessity and self-need that we pray? Or is God at the center of our life by choice and desire and in fact? Are our actions and business practices motivated by God’s standards or human standards? Sunday, partially for God but the rest of the week is mine to do what I want?

 

 The people to whom Amos spoke did not repent, as far as we know. They continued to act the same way, in spite of God’s warning to them.

 

Gospel: Jesus gives a parable showing how the worldly act for the wrong reasons. This steward has been found to be dishonest, because he was cheating his master’s debtors by adding to their bill a surcharge for his benefit. If a person bought a hundred measures of olive oil, he overcharged so that he could get a kickback.

 

So when he said to rewrite the note of debt for fifty instead of a hundred, he seems to be showing concern for the debtor, when in truth he was charging him what the oil really. He was only eliminating his kickback. Though dishonest, he was acting again out of self-concern. He was hoping to ingratiate himself to the debtor. But in fact, he had ben cheating the person for his gain. Now he hoped that the debtor would employ him not that he is out of a job. The issue is he did not act this way out of repentance but out of promoting himself

 

Jesus applies this parable to his followers. Be honest and just in your dealings with others. He reminds us that we can’t serve two masters. Either Jesus is the Lord of one’s life or something or someone else is the Lord. To be a disciple of Jesus means to have Jesus as the Lord and center of our life.

 

Reading 2: Paul never tires of stating the central mystery of his preaching: There is one God.  Jesus is the one sent by the Father to be mediator, reconciler and redeemer through his death on the cross. He gave his life for ours, so that all could be saved. Though Jesus saved all by his choice, all will not be saved by their choices.

 

What should our response be?  We need to acknowledge and accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. We are called to live in relationship to him consciously in all we do and say. We need to pray for the salvation of others, which pleases God. But our prayer is to be free from anger and dissension. In other words, our prayer should flow from a heart at peace with God, ourselves and others.

 
"Hatred is not a creative force. Love alone creates. Suffering will not prevail over us, it will only melt us down and strengthen us." St. Maximillian Kolbe

Hatred is a destructive force that comes from our own sinfulness and the urgings of the Evil One.  Hatred destroys relationships in a matter of seconds. Hatred seeks revenge, an eye for an eye. On the other hand, love creates, because it is life-giving and nurturing. It is the atmosphere that generates peace and harmony between people. Hatred may cause suffering to incur, but love will transform suffering into strength and eventual victory over hatred. We see the effects of hatred and love. Which will we choose, not in theory, but in reality?

 Twenty-fifth Sunday Gospel Reflections C

Jesus said to his disciples, “A rich man had a steward who was reported to him for squandering his property.  He summoned him and said, ‘What is this I hear about you?  Prepare a full account of your stewardship, because you can no longer be my steward.’ 

· We need to reflect on our own stewardship in regards what God has entrusted to us. If we would face God at this moment, what account would we be  able to give him?

The steward said to himself, ‘What shall I do, now that my master is taking the position of steward away from me?  I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg.  I know what I shall do so that, when I am removed from the stewardship, they may welcome me into their homes.’ He called in his master’s debtors one by one.  To the first he said, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ He replied, ‘One hundred measures of olive oil.’ He said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note.  Sit down and quickly write one for fifty.’ Then to another the steward said, ‘And you, how much do you owe?’ He replied, ‘One hundred kors of wheat.’ The steward said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note; write one for eighty.’ And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently.

· The extra in each instance is the additional fee he tack on for his own pockets. He was bilking his masters customers for his own gain.

· Are there any “dishonest” or questionable practices that we have been doing which in the eyes of God could be considered unjust and unfair?

 “For the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light.  I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth, so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. 

· What does Jesus mean by this?

· Are we as concern with our eternal salvation as we are with our physical well-being? Do we spend more time to provide for our present life-style but not as much to provide for our eternal life time?

The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones; and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones.  If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth, who will trust you with true wealth?  If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another, who will give you what is yours?  No servant can serve two masters.  He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other.  You cannot serve both God and mammon.”

· Are we in fact trying to serve two masters? The world and God? 

· What application do we make in our lives as a result of our reflections? Does anything need to change and will it?

 "Be kinder than necessary because everyone is fighting their war or battle and suffering losses. Live simply, love generously, care deeply for the needs of your neighbor, speak softly. And leave the rest to the Lord.  It is not faith, nor dogmatics, nor mysticisim, nor ascetism, nor fasting, nor long prayers, but love that makes one a true Christian." St. Luke (Voyna Yasenetsky_

How easy is it for us to forget the basic revelation of the Scriptures. Love is the key that opens up the door leading into eternal life. Love is not always easy, especially when the person we are called to love is less than worthy. But God loves me, who is less than worthy. I have sinned and offended God more than anyone has offended me. And yet, he loves me because he loves. If I desire to be with him, I must follow his example of love. I must be willing to lay down my life for the other, even if the other seems indifferent. I do it because God wills it. I do it in response to the love God shows me. I am not heroic, but obedient.

 "Foolish is the person who follows the pleasures of this world, because these are always fleeting and bring much pain. The only true pleasure is that which comes to us through faith.? St. Pier Giorgio Frasati

The Old Testament speaks of two paths: the way of the wicked and the way of the just. Jesus speaks of the wide road and the narrow road: the first leads to destruction, the second to eternal life. The pleasures of this world of the flesh and of the vices are fleeting, leading to various addictions. These addictions lead to eternal destruction. The pleasures of the narrow road come from a relationship with One who alone can satisfy us, God. In the parable of Lazarus and the rich man, Jesus tells us that the rich man enjoyed the pleasures of this world while neglecting the needs of Lazarus. On the other hand, Lazarus trusted in the Lord to provide for him. The life of one ends in eternal torments. The life of the other ends in eternal happiness and peace. The two roads lie ahead of us. Which will we choose?

 "Everything, even sweeping, scraping vegetables, weeding a garden and waiting on the sick could be a prayer, if it were offered to God." St. Martin de Porres

Sanctity comes not from doing extraordinary things for the love of God, but from doing all things, including the ordinary and mundane, for the love of God. There is grace in those few, extraordinary moments and events in our whole life. These is grace also in those many little, everyday events and moments in our daily life. How easy it is to ignore the grace, because of what seems insignificant in the grand scheme of life. Yet, that is where the Lord awaits us. Sanctify your day and your life by using these ordinary events and responsibilities as stepping stones on the narrow path to eternity.

 "All are born originals, don't die a photocopy." St. Carlo Acutis

What an insight! God creates us individually with our own DNA and uniqueness. But somehow we buy into the lie that says we need to be other than we are. And so we often seek to become someone else, to model our life not on Christ but on the world. We become like everyone else, forgetting who we are. All is not hopeless, however, for the grace of God will continually call us back to our true identity and to once more to embrace our true identity in Christ. Do we wish to be a mere photocopy or do we wish to be fully who we are?

 "Do not argue with someone who annoys you, because it will multiply the evil, but show him kindness, so that he will calm down and you will gain a reward from God." St George Karslidis of Drama

Fight fire with fire will only burn everything up. An eye for an eye only makes both blind. As water is used to douse a fire, so kindness will more often than not calm the anger of the other. That is not the way of our human instinct, corrupted by sin. It is the way of grace to choose to be a true disciple of Jesus. To choose the less travel road that leads to eternal life. We are called to put aside our old self and put on the new self in Christ, who was meek and humble of heart. When Jesus was reviled, he could have retaliated, but chose not to. It is his example that we are called to follow.

 "To always be close to Jesus, that's my life plan." St. Carlo Acutis

Is that your desire and plan? When we are close to Jesus here on earth, will we not be close to him in eternity? To be close to Jesus means to have a personal relationship with Jesus, which is what a disciple's life is. To be close to Jesus means to shun sin. To be close to Jesus means that he is the Lord of one's life. Nothing and No one else matters. He is the first and the last: the first thing I am aware of in the morning and the last thing I am conscious of at night. He is my all in all. This is a process which is not automatic but intentional. 

 "Not all of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great love." St. Teresa of Calcutta

Sometimes we allow ourselves to be stymied, because we read about the great things the Saints did and we feel that we are not able to do them. We fail to realize that the Saints did what they did out of love. This is what made what they did great. It is no different with us. God provides us with many opportunities to do something for another out of love of God and the other. What you do for the least is done for and to Jesus. In the eyes of God these little things become great. Remember it is not the thing done, great or small, that matters, but that it is done with great love.

 "The greatest test of humility is when you are praised for the goodness in you and you offer that praise to God." St. Thomas Aquinas

All good things come from God. Any good we accomplish is through the grace of God. Knowing and acknowledging this within our hearts is humility. I have seen people, at least outwardly, say the good accomplished was because of God. But at times I wonder if this is not just a pretense. I believe it is better to thank the person for the compliment and interiorly thank God for the grace.  This is humility. For humility is not as much seen as it is lived. It is a conviction that I am what I am and I can do what I do only by the grace of God.

 "Do not believe that pleasing God lies so much in doing a great deal; it lies in doing all things with good will, without selfishness and without seeking the approval men." St. John of the Cross

The underlying motive of our actions and deeds must be the will of God, doing what is "good, pleasing and perfect" for the glory of God. Jesus said that if we do things, even good things, to please others or to be seen by others, then we have our reward. But if we do all for the good of others and for the glory of God, then God, who sees the intention of the heart, will reward us out of his goodness. 

 

Homily Twenty-Third Sunday Year C

 

Reading 1: Who can know the mind of God? God is perfect; we are imperfect. God is uncreated Spirit; we are created body and spirit. Our body is corruptible; God is incorruptible. Because of sin we struggle to know and do the right things. We are still trying to understand the material things around us. We make a break through and there is another mystery of creation, confronting and challenging us.

 

We try to understand and fathom what is totally beyond us: the mind of God. We come to a blank wall. Why? Because our minds are limited. God wants us to perceive what is true and what is for our good, leading us to him. To do this God gives us a wisdom, the gift of the Holy Spirit, to glimpse into the mystery of God, the mystery of eternity, the mystery of God’s unconditional love. This gift enables us, not on our own but through the grace of God, to see as God perceives into a particular situation. But we still scratch only the surface.  God reveals his plan to us, but only to the extent we can embrace it in faith, hope and love.

 

Gospel: The first reading recognizes that we need God’s wisdom to know God’s plan for us. Jesus speaks that word of wisdom in the Gospel. He speaks of the centrality of God in our lives, a centrality lived in doing the will of God, even it if means embracing a particular cross in our daily life. But Jesus goes further. He says we shouldn’t begin this journey of relationship with God unless we really intend to complete the process.

 

How many people want a relationship with God, maybe for the wrong reason? They are unwilling to pay the price, to live the life, to embrace his will. There is a difference between falling short but continuing to try and between going through the motions externally while internally choosing to be far away from a deeper relationship. What is this deeper commitment? Full discipleship!

 

Discipleship is a radical following of Jesus. Central to this relationship with Jesus are three things: the Lordship of Jesus, obedience to the will of God even to the death of the self, and doing all of this out of love.

 

What does the Lordship of Jesus means? It means that nothing and no one is to be more important to the disciple than Jesus. It is the only relationship that will last in eternity. One of the questions we will be asked at the time of our death is the question Jesus asked the disciples. “Who do you say I am?” Even though Peter said the right words initially, it wasn’t until after the resurrection that he could say with understanding and love that Jesus is both Lord and Messiah.

 

For Jesus to be the Lord of our lives in fact as well as in faith, we center our whole lives on him, on the will of the Father. We choose to do so simply to return love for love.

 

Reading 2: Philemon is a convert of Paul. One of Philemon’s slaves ran away. He found Paul in another community in prison. Paul converts him with the truth of the Gospel. Paul becomes a spiritual father to Onesimus through the waters of baptism. Paul sees him now as a son, a brother and a slave of Christ.

 

By law, Onesimus was the property of Philemon. So Paul asks the former to go back to Philemon to give him the opportunity to practice his new faith by receiving him back as a brother in Christ. In other words, Onesimus belonged to Christ more than he belong to Philemon.

 

Paul believed the love of Christ was stronger than anything else and that this love would bring forth a new and stronger relationship between Philemon and Onesimus. Paul based this on the love Philemon professed for Paul and the debt he owed Paul for setting him free to experience God’s love for him. Each was able to do this because of the Lordship of Jesus.

 "It is not from your own possessions that you are bestowing alms on the poor, you are but restoring to them what is theirs by right. For what was given to everyone for the use of al, you have taken for your exclusive use. The earth belongs not to the rich, but to everyone. Thus, far from giving lavishly, you are but paying part of your debt." St. Ambrose

We are but stewards of the blessings from God. Out of what we have been blessed with, we are called as stewards to share a portion with others.  If we would only tithe on a regularly basis, we would be responding to the call of God to us.  When we tithe, we are to do it with a cheerful and grateful heart that we have been blessed to help others who are less fortunate. Jesus reminds us that to the one who is given much, much is expected of that person. We can't solve the problem of all the poor of the world, but we can make a difference in this one person at this particular time.

 Twenty-third Sunday Gospel Reflections C

Great crowds were traveling with Jesus, and he turned and addressed them, 

· Jesus gives some reflections on the role and life of a disciple.

“If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 

· The first cost of discipleship is a certain detachment from those closest to us. If it comes to making a decision which says we have to choose between Jesus and a member of our family, whom would we choose.? This is the total commitment of discipleship.

· Jesus is not asking for total separation or rejection of our family, but a realization that he alone is the Lord and no one else must be given that status in our life. He is first at all times.

· Have we had to face that point in our life, even in small matters, where following Jesus  was more important than pleasing family?

Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. 

· Following Jesus means readiness to accept persecution and suffering. Have we experienced this in our faith journey as a disciple of Jesus? What decisions did we make? What did we learn?

o Notice he says “his own cross.” We are not expected to carry anyone else’s cross.  Ours is tailored for us at this moment of our life.

Which of you wishing to construct a tower does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if there is enough for its completion? Otherwise, after laying the foundation and finding himself unable to finish the work the onlookers should laugh at him and say, ‘This one began to build but did not have the resources to finish.’ Or what king marching into battle would not first sit down and decide whether with ten thousand troops he can successfully oppose another king advancing upon him with twenty thousand troops?  But if not, while he is still far away, he will send a delegation to ask for peace terms.

· Sometimes we want to follow Jesus on our own terms but we do not assess the cost of disciple and our commitment to embrace it fully. Something may be worth it, but whether I am willing to pay the price may be another consideration.

· How important is following Jesus to you? Are there any limitations or restrictions or conditions you are placing on your response? If the call is from Jesus, do we accept his call unreservedly or conditionally?

  In the same way, anyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.”

· What does this mean?

· Recall the time the rich young man came to Jesus and ask what it took to gain eternal life. Jesus said basically he should keep the commandments of love. The man said he was doing this but asked what more is needed. Jesus said that he should seek holiness and total dependency on him, go and free himself of all obligations and possessions and come and follow him totally. The man could not because he could let go his possessions.

· Discipleship is not necessarily physical poverty but definitely spiritual poverty where nothing else matters in one’s life but Jesus and being and serving him.

· How do we apply these sayings of Jesus in our own life today?

 "We are not made for a life where everything is taken for granted and static, but for an existence that is constantly renewed through  the gift of self in love." Pope Leo XIV

Is your life as a Christian flat with no direction? Is this the life God desires for you? Jesus said that he came that we may life to the fullest. The key to this full life is the transforming power of love. Jesus modeled this life of love by laying down his life so that we may be free from the bondage of sin. When we strive to live this self-giving love each day, then our life will be full, for we will be in union with God in a deeper way. To love this way is not easy, but it is the narrow road to the fullness of life.