Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time

It-23 Ħadd matul is-Sena

Messalin C pp 384

Reading 1       -           WISDOM 9:13-18B

Who can know God’s counsel,  Or who can conceive what the LORD intends? Nor the deliberations of mortals are timid, And unsure are our plans. For the corruptible body burdens the soul and the earthen shelter weighs down the mind that has many concerns.And scarce do we guess the things on earth, and what is within our grasp we find with difficulty; but when things are in heaven, who can search them out? Or who ever knew your counsel, except you had given wisdom and sent your holy spirit from on high? And thus were the paths of those on earth made straight. This is the Word of the Lord.

L-Ewwel Lezzjoni  -  Qari mill-Ktieb tal-Għerf  9, 13-19

Min jista' jagħraf ħsieb Alla?  Min jista' jifhem x'irid il-Mulej? Beżżiegħa huma ħsibijiet il-bnedmin, u kull pjan tagħna mhu xejn fiż-żgur; għax ruħna mtaqqla b'ġisem li jitħassar, u għar-ruħ li taħseb hu piż it-tafal li fih tgħammar. Bilkemm nistgħu nintebħu x'hemm fuq l-art, u bit-tbajtija insibu dak li hu taħt għajnejna; mela min jista' jitkixxef fuq il-ħwejjeġ tas-sema? Min qatt għaraf ir-rieda tiegħek, jekk int innifsek ma tajtux l-għerf, u ma bgħattx fuqu mill-għoli l-ispirtu qaddis tiegħek? Hekk saru dritti triqat in-nies tal-art, hekk tgħallmu l-bnedmin dak li jogħġob lilek, u salvaw bis-saħħa tal-għerf. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm               PSALm 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14-17

R. (1) In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.

You turn man back to dust,
saying, “Return, O children of men.”
For a thousand years in your sight
are as yesterday, now that it is past,
or as a watch of the night.                                 R/

You make an end of them in their sleep;
the next morning they are like the changing grass,
Which at dawn springs up anew,
but by evening wilts and fades.                          R/

Teach us to number our days aright,
that we may gain wisdom of heart.
Return, O LORD! How long?
Have pity on your servants!                              R/

Fill us at daybreak with your kindness,
that we may shout for joy and gladness all our days.
And may the gracious care of the LORD our God be ours;
prosper the work of our hands for us!
Prosper the work of our hands!                                   R/

Salm Responsorjali  -  Salm 89(90)

            R/         Mulej int kenn għalina

Int traġġa' l-bnedmin lejn it-trab,

u tgħidilhom:  "Erġgħu lura, intom bnedmin!"

Elf sena huma għalik bħal jum ta' l’ bierah li għadda,

jew bħal sahra tal-lejl.                                        R/

Int taħsadhom, u jisru bħal ħolma.

Huma bħall-ħaxix li jinbet filgħodu;

filgħodu jwarrad u jħaddar,

filgħaxija jidbiel u jinxef.                         R/

Għalhekk għallimna ngħoddu jiem ħajjitna,

sabiex aħna nimxu bil-għaqal.

Dur lejna, Mulej!  Kemm se ddum?

Ħenn għall-qaddejja tiegħek.                               R/

Imliena kmieni bit-tjieba tiegħek,

biex nifirħu u nithennew ħajjitna kollha.

Ħa tkun fuqna l-grazzja ta' Alla Sidna!

Wettqilna inti x-xogħol  ta' idejna,

wettaq, iva, xogħol idejna.                                  R/

Reading 2                   PHILEMON 9-10, 12-17

I, Paul, an old man,band now also a prisoner for Christ Jesus, urge you on behalf of my child Onesimus, whose father I have become in my imprisonment; I am sending him, that is, my own heart, back to you. I should have liked to retain him for myself, so that he might serve me on your behalf in my imprisonment for the gospel, but I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that the good you do might not be forced but voluntary. Perhaps this is why he was away from you for a while, that you might have him back forever, no longer as a slave but more than a slave, a brother, beloved especially to me, but even more so to you, as a man and in the Lord. So if you regard me as a partner welcome him as you would me. This is the Word of the Lord.

It-Tieni Lezzjoni  -  Qari mill-Ittra ta' San Pawl Appostlu lil Filemon 9b,-10, 12-17

Għażiż, jiena, Pawlu, raġel xwejjaħ, u issa priġunier ta' Kristu Sidna, qiegħed nitolbok bil-ħerqa għal ibni, li jien nissilt fil-ktajjen, għal Oneżimu. Xtaqt kieku żammejtu miegħi, biex, kif jien fil-ħabs għall-Evanġelju, idur bija minflokok hu. Iżda ma ridt nagħmel xejn mingħajr ma nara x'jidhirlek int, biex l-opra tajba tiegħek ma tkunx għamiltha bilfors, imma tkun ħierġa mill-qalb. Għandu mnejn li għalhekk hu telaq minn miegħek, għal ftit, biex inti terġa' tiksbu lura għal dejjem, mhux aktar bħala ilsir, imma xi ħaġa iktar minn ilsir, bħala ħuk għażiż;  għażiż fuq kollox  għalija, imma kemm iktar għalik, skond id-dinja u skont il-Mulej. Int mela, jekk inti qalb waħda miegħi,  ilqgħu bħallikieku kont jien!  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej  

Gospel                                                LUKE 14:25-33

Great crowds were travelling with Jesus, and he turned and addressed them, “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. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me Cannot be my disciple.  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. In the same way, anyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.” This is the Word of the Lord.

L-Evangelju  -  Qari skont San Luqa 14, 25-33

F'dak iż-żmien, kotra kbira ta' nies kienet miexja ma' Ġesu'. Hu dar lejhom u qalilhom:  "Min jiġi għandi ma jistax ikun  dixxiplu tiegħi jekk ma jobgħodx lil missieru u 'l ommu u lil martu  u lil ulieidu, 'l ħutu subien u bniet, u saħansitra lilu nnifsu. Min ma jerfax salibu u jimxi warajja ma jistax ikun dixxiplu tiegħi. Għax min minnkom ikun irid jibni torri u ma joqgħodx bilqiegħda  biex  l-ewwel nett iqis in-nefqa, ħalli jara għandux biżżejjed  biex iwassal sal-aħħar? Għax jekk jiġrilu li jqiegħed is-sisien biex imbagħad ma jkunx jista jtemm il-bini, kull min jarah jibda jwaqqgħu għaċ-ċajt u jgħid:  "Dan il-bniedem beda jibni u ma kellux il-ħila jkompli sa l-aħħar." Jew liema sultan, li jkun sejjer jagħmel gwerra kontra sultan ieħor,  ma joqgħodx l-ewwel bilqiegħda biex jara jekk jistax  b'għaxart elef raġel  iħabbatha ma' min ġej għalih b'għoxrin elf ruħ?  Għax inkella, meta l-ieħor ikun għadu  'l bogħod, ikollu jibgħatlu  ambaxxata biex jitolbu l-ftehim għall-paci. Hekk ukoll ħadd ma jista' jkun dixxiplu tiegħi jekk ma jitlaqx ġidu kollu. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

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Commentary by Fr Thomas Rosica CSB

To accept Christ is to accept his Cross 

Next Sunday's Gospel passage (Luke 14:25-33) contains a collection of sayings that are peculiar to Luke. Luke has Jesus speak about the demands of discipleship. He gathers three sayings (26-27, 33) and two parables (28-32).

They focus on the total dedication necessary for disciples of Jesus. No attachment to family (26) or possessions (33) can stand in the way of the total commitment demanded of the disciple. Acceptance of the call to be a disciple demands readiness to accept persecution and suffering (27) and a realistic assessment of the hardships and costs (28-32).

The two parables embedded in Sunday's Gospel passage say in their own way what Jesus is saying in the preceding verses: Are you sure you wish to follow me? Is the price more than you are willing to pay? The first parable involves building a tower in a vineyard from which the farmer can stand watch against thieves and foraging animals. The second pictures the royal house where great political issues are settled. But rich and poor, royalty and peasants, have essentially the same decision to make when faced with a major expenditure of time, property, and life itself: Is this cost more than I am able or willing to pay? The decision is no different when one is facing the call to discipleship: The enthusiasm for beginning is there, but do I possess the resources to persevere to completion?

Both parables highlight the need to use wisdom in assessing the cost of discipleship. Both the tower builder and the warring king must calculate the costs and study the risks before making a final decision. The disciple must know that following Christ requires an allegiance that will always be the highest priority. To accept the person of Christ is to accept his cross as well.

The source of our happiness

The author of this first reading from the book of Wisdom (9:13-18) is not dealing with the age-old distinction between what is of the body and what is of the soul (known often as dualism). The view of human nature in the Hebrew Scriptures is not dualistic, even though it is clearly recognized that the limitations of human nature make it impossible for us to fully comprehend the mysteries of God.

As Christians we need not oppose human progress nor reject comforts and pleasures. The believer must assess these within the delicate balance of wisdom and life. This first reading challenges us: Does our happiness come from the mere acquisition of possessions or from sharing and interacting with God and neighbor?

Choosing Christ above all else

In the midst of the many voices clamoring for our time, money, allegiance and attention, we are called to choose Christ to the complete dispossession of all else. This is a great challenge for each of us, especially in our day. We so often define choice not as the freedom to choose one action over another, but as the freedom to choose everything at once. Freedom of choice has come to mean keeping our options open. The tragedy of this condition is that it is literally impossible to "keep our options open" and live lives of any significance.

I have found this to be one of the most difficult aspects of my teaching and pastoral ministry with many young people over the past 20 years: their unwillingness to commit to anything, to take risks, or to follow through on commitments already made. The obvious problem is that it is impossible to make any choice without consequences that rule out other options. Every choice we make automatically excludes other choices. This choosing is essential and even desirable for a meaningful life.

One mission or 1,000 options

One of the clearest teachings of this point was made by Australian Cardinal George Pell during his outstanding homily at the Opening Mass for World Youth Day 2008

 in Sydney, on July 15, 2008.

Cardinal Pell spoke to the throng of over 150,000 young people from throughout the world about their mission in life: "Don't spend your life sitting on the fence, keeping your options open, because only commitments bring fulfillment. Happiness comes from meeting our obligations, doing our duty, especially in small matters and regularly, so we can rise to meet the harder challenges. Many have found their life's calling at World Youth Days." Cardinal Pell's stirring words still ring in my ears eight years later: "One mission is better than a thousand options."

True wisdom and freedom

In the midst of our chaotic lives Jesus stops and says, "You have to choose." In his call to authentic discipleship, Christ challenges our most precious loyalties. As there can be no other gods before the God of Israel, there can be no other loves before Christ. Thus, there is a cost to following Jesus, and the curious and half-hearted should take notice. Discipleship may cost us everything, but will gain for us all that will ever matter. Only then will we be truly wise and truly free.

The claim of Christ and the Gospel

Luke emphasizes that Jesus does not like compromises and requires a commitment of the whole person, a decisive detachment from any nostalgia for the past, from family demands, from material possessions (cf. Luke 9:57-62; 14:26-33). To the call to cross bearing, already issued in 9:23, is joined the almost frightening demand to hate one's family and one's own life (26).

To hate is a Semitic expression meaning to turn away from, to detach oneself from someone or something. There is nothing of that emotion we experience in the expression "I hate you." Were that the case, then Verse 26 alone would cancel all the calls to love, to care, to nourish, especially one's own family found throughout the New Testament. And to hate one's own life is not a call for self-loathing and self-destruction. What is demanded of disciples, however, is that in the network of many loyalties in which all of us live, the claim of Christ and the Gospel not only takes precedence but also, in fact, redefines the others. This can and will necessarily involve some detaching, some turning away.

To be a Christian for Luke means to follow Jesus on the path that he takes (9:57; 10:38; 13:22; 14:25). It is Jesus himself who takes the initiative and calls us to follow him, and he does it decisively, unmistakably, thus showing his extraordinary identity, his mystery of being the Son who knows the Father and reveals him (10:22). Jesus speaks to all those who walked with him at that moment in history, and to those of us who walk with him today: "Think about what you are doing and decide if you are willing to stay with me all the way." Human beings will always be tempted to lessen the radical demands of the Gospel and to adapt them to our own weaknesses, or to give up the path undertaken. But the authenticity and quality of the Christian community's life depends precisely on this. A Church that lives by compromise would be like salt that has lost its taste (14:34-35).

A compassionate portrayal of the disciples

To be called does not require perfection on our behalf, only fidelity and holy listening. Samuel and the prophets of Israel, Martha, Mary and Lazarus of Bethany, the fishermen of Galilee and even the tax collectors that Jesus called were certainly not called because of their qualifications or achievements. Paul says that Jesus calls "the foolish," so that the wise will be shamed. The Gospel portrayal of the disciples is compassionate because it makes a place for people who struggle to reach their dreams, for people who at times forget their call to greatness. We will never be the same because Jesus has called us, loved us, changed us and made us into his image. Because he has called us, we have no choice but to call others to accept the Gospel and follow him.

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