Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time – 07th September 2025
Today, the Church offers us three readings that, at first glance, may seem different, but are united by a common thread: the wisdom to follow God wholeheartedly, with discernment and courage.
The first reading, from the Book of Wisdom, reminds us of the limits of human understanding: “Who can know God’s counsel? Who can conceive what the Lord intends?” We are fragile, weighed down by many worries and distractions, but God gives us His Spirit to enlighten our steps. This shows us that following the Lord is not just about our own intelligence; we need wisdom from above, a light that allows us how to see things in depth.
In the second reading, from the Letter to Philemon, we see St. Paul putting this wisdom into practice. He writes to a friend about a runaway slave, Onesimus, and asks not just for a legal resolution, but for a transformation of relationships: “receive him no longer as a slave, but as a beloved brother.” This is a lesson in how faith changes the way we see each other: beyond labels, social status, or past conflicts, we are brothers and sisters in Christ. This is what it means to live the Gospel.
Then comes the Gospel according to Luke, where Jesus challenges us with strong words: “If anyone comes to me without hating his father, mother, wife, children, brothers, and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.” Jesus is not calling us to despise our family; rather, He is teaching us that our love for God must come first so that all other loves can find their right order. He continues: “Whoever does not carry his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” And He speaks of counting the cost, like a builder who calculates resources before starting a tower.