Homily for Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C, 4th September, 2022. 

Readings: Wis. 9:13-18 Ps.90; Philem. 1:9-10,12-17 ; Luke 14:25-33

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

THE SACRIFICIAL NATURE AND DEMANDS OF DISCIPLESHIP 

A true disciple must constantly reflect through life in order to be aware of the seriousness of the commitment required of him/her. Little wonder Jesus in our Gospel passage today, takes his discourse on discipleship to a radical and difficult level when he said: ‘If any man comes to me without hating his father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, yes and his own life too, he cannot be my disciple. Anyone who does not carry his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. So in the same way, none of you can be my disciple unless he gives up all his possessions.’

Here, Jesus teaches about the cost of discipleship. That there is a price to be paid. However, Jesus does not directly intend to cause tensions and divisions in family life, but he wants us to accept the consequences that comes with the truth of the Gospel teaching, more importantly, when it comes to living out the Gospel message in a radical way, especially in a situation where our family values have been thrown out of caution as a result of secularism, individualism and excess desires for worldly pleasures, thereby neglecting the things that lead us to God. 

So, these hard words of Jesus can only be understood in the light of our life experience, because there are moments when we have to make radical and difficult choice as disciples of Jesus. These moments may wield the sword of division or separation among those people and things which are so dear to us. Thus, he warns that we have to struggle to put him first, before family ties, knowing that divisions will surely occur as people have to decide to be for or against God. Hence, he states that the cost of discipleship extends to one even losing his life. </p>

For none of us can become his disciple if we do not give up our excess desire for worldly pleasures and possession, and pay our unreserved loyalty and allegiance to God over all other competing loyalties in our lives including family, self-interest, and possessions. Little wonder we heard in our first reading that the reasonings of mortals are unsure and our intentions unstable; for a perishable body presses down the soul, and this tent of clay weighs down the teeming mind. For it is hard enough for us to work out what is on earth, and laborious to know what lies within our reach; who, then, can discover what is in the heavens?

Dear friends, how much are we willing to let go for the sake of discipleship. Do we find it too demanding? In what ways? Is giving up ‘all my possessions’ realistic and if not what does this passage means to me? Whatever my response maybe, may God give us the grace to grow in freedom, to be ready to follow and to serve him in a new way and also be able to speak to the Lord about the points of difficulty in paying this cost. 

This is what St. Paul in our second reading is trying to tells us when he said to Philemon: I know you have been deprived of Onesimus for a time, but it was only so that you could have him back for ever, not as a slave any more, but something much better than a slave, a dear brother; especially dear to me, but how much more to you, as a blood-brother as well as a brother in the Lord. 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, the excess desire for the pleasurable things of this passing world have weakened our hearts from becoming a good disciple, give us courage and grace to let go of our ugly desires, so as to hold firm in our faith despite losing people and things that are dear to us. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful Sunday.