Good morning, good people,
May the Lord bless you with peace and health in the Holy Spirit.
It is 07th September 2025. We celebrate the 23rd Sunday of Ordinary Time. We reflect on Wisdom 9:13-18; Philemon 9-10, 12-17; and Luke 14:25-33.
Are we followers, or are we disciples?
The author of Wisdom asks: “What man can know the intentions of God? Who can divine the will of the Lord?” It is hard to discern and decide without the gift of divine wisdom. Faith is deepened by God’s Spirit. The question we all need to ask is: Am I seeking God’s wisdom daily, or relying only on my own intelligence and experience?
St. Augustine reminds us: “True wisdom is not simply knowing what is right, but doing it with courage and love.”
St. Ignatius of Loyola, after being wounded in battle, discovered true joy when he embraced God’s will by becoming acquainted with the Word of God, the Wisdom of God, and the Son of God.
Faith transforms us—as St. Paul appealed to Philemon. Though it looked radical, the oppression of slavery was broken by the bonds of Christian love. To be a disciple means to see others as Jesus sees. When pride, prejudice, and the urge to dominate creep into relationships, we struggle to treat others as equals in Christ. We are invited to use our gifts not to dominate or control, but to reconcile and build communion.
St. Teresa of Calcutta reminds us: “If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.” In her life, a dying man once whispered after being nursed by her: “I have lived like an animal, but now I die like an angel, loved and cared for.” When we see that others are not burdens but blessings, we are transformed within to bring Christ through our genuine response as disciples.
The cost of discipleship demands sacrifice, detachment, and carrying our cross. It is not a mere duty but a lifelong commitment to embrace the cross entrusted to us. Often, we walk closely with Christ when life is easy. But true sainthood draws out the best in us. As St. Thérèse of Lisieux teaches: “You cannot be half a saint; you must be a whole saint or no saint at all.”
Our founder, St. Francis of Assisi, the son of a wealthy merchant, renounced everything to embrace Christ in poverty. His radical choice for Christ and his preferential love for the poor drew thousands of men and women to the Lord.
In the Gospel, Jesus uses two examples familiar to human ambition: building a tower and preparing for battle. While success and victory are often our goals, they can lead us away from God as our true priority. Growth is celebrated, but growing is often neglected. We are called to plant and grow, not to conquer and control.
True wisdom helps us discern God’s will. Authentic love transforms our relationships. Genuine discipleship demands radical and consistent commitment to Gospel values.
May the Lord bless us to be true disciples of Christ—not merely followers of a flock.
Have a fruitful day.