23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
\nWisdom 9:13-18b
\nPhilemon 9-10, 12-1
\nLuke 14:25-33
\nSeptember 8, 2013<\/p>\n
\u201cWho can know God\u2019s counsel, or who can conceive what the Lord intends?\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n
These are the opening words of our first reading today from the Book of Wisdom.\u00a0 They are also words that we might relate to very well when things don\u2019t go the way we want.<\/p>\n
When tragedy happens, when great illness comes, we wonder why the Lord allows such things.\u00a0 Often such things don\u2019t make sense to us.\u00a0 Why are there diseases like cancer and Alzheimer\u2019s?\u00a0 Why is so much violence in places like Syria?\u00a0 Why can\u2019t I find a job?<\/p>\n
I don\u2019t know.\u00a0 I don\u2019t have all the answers.\u00a0 We face a struggle between what our body seeks and what our soul seeks.\u00a0 None of has all the answers.<\/p>\n
What we do have is faith.<\/p>\n
In faith, in Baptism we receive the Holy Spirit and are sealed with the Spirit at Confirmation.\u00a0 The Holy Spirit gives us the gifts of knowledge, wisdom, understanding, counsel, and fortitude.<\/p>\n
Knowledge helps us to know things about God and faith.<\/p>\n
Understanding helps us to go beyond simple knowledge to find meaning.<\/p>\n
Wisdom helps us see a bigger picture.<\/p>\n
Counsel helps us to make good decisions.<\/p>\n
Fortitude gives us courage and strength to actually do what is right.<\/p>\n
We can ask ourselves if, having received these gifts of the Holy Spirit, do we always make right decisions and do what is right.<\/p>\n
We would love to say yes but we are not perfect.\u00a0 Even with these gifts, we make mistakes.\u00a0 We don\u2019t always understand.<\/p>\n
What don\u2019t we understand?\u00a0 Well, for instance why is Jesus telling us that we must hate <\/i><\/b>our parents, our siblings, and even our own life?<\/p>\n
What ever happened to love thy neighbor?\u00a0 Wasn\u2019t it Jesus who told us the greatest commandment is to love God and the second is to love our neighbor?<\/p>\n
Then how do we make sense of Jesus telling us to hate<\/i> our family?<\/p>\n
The scholars tell us that the word used in the original Greek, is not \u201chate\u201d as we might think of it today.\u00a0 Rather, they say it signifies a lesser degree of love.<\/p>\n
This makes some sense, if we love our neighbor and everyone is our neighbor that there is no one to hate.<\/p>\n
Of course, we could then ask the question, if the Greek word really doesn\u2019t mean \u201chate\u201d as we think of hate, then why didn\u2019t they use another word in the English translation of the gospel?<\/p>\n
It\u2019s not easy to understand.\u00a0 I could really use those gifts of knowledge, understanding, and wisdom right now!<\/p>\n
Maybe \u201chate\u201d is a good word to use.\u00a0 Doesn\u2019t hearing Jesus say \u201chate\u201d make us think?\u00a0 What is our reaction?<\/p>\n
Do we say to ourselves it doesn\u2019t make sense and ignore it?<\/p>\n
Do we think about what the word \u201chate\u201d means to us?<\/p>\n
Do we think about what the word \u201clove\u201d means to us?<\/p>\n
Do we think about what it means for us to love God compared to loving our family?<\/p>\n
Do we think about our faith at all?<\/p>\n
Jesus turns to a parable about one preparing to build a tower and one preparing for battle.\u00a0 The leaders take the time to think about what they are getting themselves into.\u00a0 Do we take the time to think about what we are getting into?\u00a0 Do we think about what it means, what it takes for us to be Catholics?<\/p>\n
The good news is we do have what it takes but only because Jesus has given it to us.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Wisdom 9:13-18b Philemon 9-10, 12-1 Luke 14:25-33 September 8, 2013 \u201cWho can know God\u2019s counsel, or who can conceive what the Lord intends?\u201d These are the opening words of our first reading today from the Book of Wisdom.\u00a0 They are also words that we might relate to very well when …<\/p>\n