It is 04th September 2016. It is the Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time. The readings are from Wisdom 9:13-18; Philemon 9-10, 12-17; and the Gospel from Luke 14:25-33. Today the Church celebrates the canonization of Mother Teresa, who taught us, “There is a terrible hunger for love. Find them. Love them”. His Holiness Pope Francis will officiate the canonization of Mother Teresa at St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City today. The Church declares and defines Blessed Teresa of Calcutta to be a Saint and enrols her among the Saints. From today on She will be venerated as such by the whole church. St. Teresa of Calcutta pray for us. The first reading reminds us that without the help of the Holy Spirit, we cannot have the wisdom of knowing God’s plan. Without the help of the Holy Spirit, we cannot discern the will of God. Knowledge, which has its own limits, cannot solve all the problems of human life. We need the wisdom to understand the ways of God. The responsorial Psalm praises telling, “In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.”(Ps.90:1). In the second reading, St. Paul encourages to put our trust in God rather than things and people of this world. St. Paul is helping Onesimus to find freedom from slavery and to rely on the power of Christ. Helping people to find their way to God is the call of every believer. The Gospel points out the cost of discipleship. Our trust must not be on the possessions of the world rather finding the treasures of God. We will not be able to find new oceans, unless we move far away from the shore. We need to renounce and detach in order to find Christ in the poor and the marginalised. The cost of discipleship requires a strong discipline to live for someone who is less fortunate than us. The wisdom of God revealed in suffering for Christ. The cost of disciple is indeed difficult, narrow, risky, and vulnerable. It is all about making choices for Christ. Jesus proposes us to embrace life without family, money, and exclusive circle of working for one’s own kind. Jesus demands sincere love for Christ more than our parents, our country and our tribe of origin. Jesus wants us to bear our cross and not to become a cross to the other. Many of us have started to be a disciple without even knowing the deep commitment demanded of us. Unless we involve God in our discipleship, we cannot truly commit to Christ. Let us not begin something what we cannot finish. May the Lord bless us to be a genuine and committed disciple like St. Teresa of Calcutta. Have a good day.