TwentyThird Sunday in Ordinary Time--Liturgical Cycle C

Lectionary Readings

Reading I Wisdom 9:13-18b
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14-17
Reading II Philemon 9-10, 12-17
Gospel Luke 14:25-33

Homily
Last Sunday we were presented with the image of a grand banquet as a concrete example of the values we must embrace. How can we be numbered among the guests invited to the “feast in the kingdom of God?” The point of the narrow door is illustrated: We are to seek the value inherent in rightly judging our own talents, treasures, and finances and to share those resources in such a way that the good we do does not come back to us. “When you give a banquet,” Jesus says, “Don’t invite the wealthy who can repay you.” Don’t put a hook on your generosity.

Years ago, when I was pastor of a poor rural parish in the foothills of the mountains, someone willed to the church 228 acres – with the stipulation that a seminary be built there! An impossible hook!

And today there is the shadow of the cross as a value of the Kingdom. It is as if Jesus is saying, “Be prepared to go the whole way.” “The lukewarm,” he said, “I will spew out of my mouth.”

As a very concrete example of what is expected of one who commits to the values of the Kingdom of God, the church presents today in the second reading the beautiful letter of Paul to Philemon. Let me tell you the story, but I want you to read the letter (takes about 3 minutes) yourself when you get home today. Use it as a before-brunch prayer. Read it out loud if you have a family. It’s a dandy.

Philemon was at least a middle-upperclass citizen of Colossae and was a convert to Christianity and baptized by Paul, who considered him as a spiritual son. The Church (the people) met at his home, which would have been of considerable size. He had purchased a slave whom he set in charge of his finances. It is estimated that a slave of that stature would have cost anywhere between $35,000 and $60,000 in today’s money. His name was Onesimus (Greek meaning “useful”) so we know he was a talented, skillful bookkeeper. Onesimus made off with enough of Philemon’s money to buy his freedom (in today’s money somewhere around $250,000). You can imagine that Philemon was as mad as a wet hen about that and set the wheels in motion to have him captured.

Onesimus escaped to distant Rome where he looked up Paul, who was under house arrest. He became a convert of Paul and was baptized by him, thus Paul now had two spiritual sons, making them (Philemon and Onesimus) brothers to each other.

Paul sends Onesimus back to Philemon and asks Philemon to receive him as he would receive Paul and as a brother. Paul writes, “I will repay you whatever he owes you, but remember, dear Philemon, you owe me your very life!” So actually Philemon is in debt to Paul! (“I want to make you ‘useful’ to me—Refresh this heart of mine—do more than I ask.”)

What a letter. Talk about a pound of flesh. What does Jesus mean when he says, “Any who do not take up their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.”?

If we hold the values of the Kingdom dear to us, we must be ready to pay the price and take up whatever comes our way, doing what we know in our hearts is the “right thing to do.” That’s the cost of being a disciple of the Lord, called to bring about the Kingdom in the world we touch.

--Fr. Pat

Excerpt from "A Catholic's Companion: Liturgical Cycle C" (c)2000 C. Patrick Creed
Published by Watchmaker Press. Maggie Hettinger, editor