23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C

Mass Readings for the 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C

• First Reading – Wisdom 9:13-18B: Understanding God’s intentions is beyond human capacity without divine wisdom and the Holy Spirit, as earthly concerns often cloud our judgment.
• Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 90: God, timeless and eternal, teaches us to value our days and seeks our return to righteousness, offering mercy and favor throughout our fleeting lives.
• Second Reading – Philemon 9-10, 12-17: Paul, imprisoned, sends Onesimus back to Philemon, not as a slave but as a beloved brother, urging Philemon to welcome him as he would Paul himself.
• Gospel – Luke 14:25-33: Jesus teaches that following him requires prioritizing him above all personal relationships and possessions, emphasizing the need to consider the sacrifices involved, much like planning a construction or a battle.

Themes for the 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C

The readings for 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C help us think about what we truly desire. In the first reading tells us we cannot understand the mind of God. The psalm declares that God is our only hope. In the second reading tells us that even in the worst of situations we can find hope in God. In the gospel Jesus tells us we must be willing to give up all we love to follow him.

• The sacrifices of discipleship
• Making plans
• Counting the cost
• Detachment from worldly things
• Hope

See the Homilies and Reflections section and the More Thoughts section for further expansion on these readings and some reflection questions for the 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C.

Psalm 90: Your Blueprint for a Purposeful Life

This psalm praises the Eternal God. Our Heavenly Father is everlasting and we are limited. We should use our time to serve God. Psalm 90 is the responsorial psalm for this Sunday.

See a prayer based on Psalm 90.

Give Something You Like to Charity

Giving away clothes or toys to a charity is a good way to practice almsgiving. But just giving away something you don’t want or use anymore is more like an act of closet cleaning than an act of sacrifice. Consider including at least one item you use frequently and enjoy.

The Fair-Weather Fans of Jesus

From Bishop Robert Barron. “Friends, there are a lot of people today who might be intrigued by Jesus. They find him interesting, remember him as a spiritual teacher, or have warm feelings about him. But in today’s Gospel, Jesus is saying to his fair-weather fans—those who are following him because he’s fascinating and charismatic—that being his disciple is not a walk in the park…”

Do I Need to Hate Mom and Dad?

Jeff Cavins explains that if we are going to be disciples, we need to be really committed.

The Cost of Discipleship

A video reflection from USCCB. Jesus’ background in carpentry might have inspired today’s image of how to set our priorities. We must focus on God. Our relationships must be ordered to this and we must be willing to make sacrifices.

Following or Not?

Another USCCB reflection. The crowds are not following Jesus. They are just traveling with him. They lack the commitment to go the whole way. Discipleship can be costly.

Counting the Cost

From Scott Hahn. “Like a king making ready for battle or a contractor about to build a tower, we have to count the cost as we set out to follow Jesus. Our Lord today is telling us up front the sacrifice it will take.” Continue reading.

Spiritual Shock Therapy

Also from Bishop Robert Barron. “The world of grasping, competition, violence, and egotism is the ‘real’ world, right? Not so fast. Jesus’ strategy: spiritual shock therapy. “Hate your mother and father, your children, your wife, your very self,” he says to the uncomprehending crowds–and to us. His purpose is to shake us out of our complacency and into a whole new way of thinking, acting, and being.”

The Awful Gospel of the Cross

From Bishop Robert Barron. “Christ is emphasizing the great spiritual principle of detachment. In order to live healthy spiritual lives we must love Christ most of all, with everything else finding its meaning in relation to God.”

A Challenging Path

From Loyola Press. “In chapter 14 of Luke’s Gospel, Jesus is speaking to people gathered at the table about the difficulties of following him. This group of people is suspicious about Jesus, looking to catch him doing something wrong. Jesus speaks to them in parables, emphasizing that although there is a right way to be a disciple and enter into the kingdom of his Father, it is a difficult path to follow. “Continue reading.