The Path of Being Jesus' Disciple: Seeking Wisdom and Practicing Love

 

We shall highlight three major themes from the three readings of the 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time: Wisdom 9:13-18b, Philemon 9-10, 12-17, and Luke 14:25-33. These are the: “need for divine wisdom”, the “radical cost of  discipleship”, and the “transformative power of Christian love”.

I.     The Need for Divine Wisdom

All three passages underscore the limitations of human reason and the necessity of God's wisdom.

A.    The book of Wisdom explicitly states that no one can know God's counsel or understand His will unless God grants them wisdom and sends His Holy Spirit. Human deliberation is described as "timid" and "unsure" because the "corruptible body burdens the soul." This passage shows that true wisdom isn't acquired through human effort alone but is a divine gift. The Catechism teaches that the gifts of the Holy Spirit, including wisdom, are essential for a morally good life and for understanding God's will (CCC 1831).

B.    Luke presents Jesus as teaching discipleship through the parables of the tower builder and the king going to war.  Without divine wisdom, a person cannot "calculate the cost" of following Christ. A merely human calculation might see Jesus' demands as foolish or impossible, but with the gift of wisdom, one can discern the profound value of the Kingdom of God and the treasure that awaits (CCC 546).

C.    The letter to Philemon exemplifies this divine wisdom in action. Saint Paul, guided by the Holy Spirit, doesn't simply command Philemon to free his slave Onesimus. Instead, he appeals to Philemon's new identity in Christ, asking him to welcome Onesimus "no longer as a slave but more than a slave, a beloved brother." This act goes against worldly logic and social norms of the time. St. Thomas Aquinas taught that the virtue of prudence is a form of practical wisdom (Summa Theologica, II-II, Question 47, Article 1). Prudence guides a person to act rightly in specific situations (CCC 1806). St. Paul's approach to Philemon is a perfect example of such a prudent and divinely inspired action.

II.    The Radical Cost of Discipleship

The three passages emphasize that following Christ requires a profound detachment from worldly attachments.

A.    Luke’s gospel contains Jesus' most direct and shocking teaching on this subject: "If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother...and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple." "Hating" is a hyperbole to emphasize that love for Christ must be a person's absolute first priority, superseding all other earthly relationships and possessions . It's a call to a radical detachment from all things that could hinder one's relationship with God. The English saint, St. Thomas More, is a powerful example of this, choosing fidelity to God over family and life itself. His last words before his execution were, ""I die the king's good servant, but God's first".

B.    St. Paul’s letter to Philemon provides a concrete example of this cost of becoming Jesus’ disciple. St. Paul asks Philemon to do something that could have severe social and financial consequences for him and his household. Welcoming a runaway slave as an equal "brother" in the Lord challenges the entire economic and social structure of the time. Philemon is being asked to renounce his legal right over Onesimus and risk his social standing for the sake of his faith. This parallels the detachment from possessions and comfort that Jesus demands in Luke's Gospel.

C.    The book of Wisdom sets the stage for this detachment by explaining its spiritual foundation. The passage notes that the "corruptible body burdens the soul" and that human plans are "unsure." The pursuit of earthly things, driven by the body's desires, weighs down the spirit. To truly follow God's will, we must first recognize the temporary nature of worldly attachments and seek the enduring wisdom that comes from God.

III.   The Transformative Power of Christian Love

The final theme is the power of Christian love to transcend social conventions and create a new reality.

A.    The second reading gives us the clearest illustration of this power to create a new reality. St. Paul's appeal transforms the master-slave relationship into a bond of brotherhood "in the Lord." This act of love transcends social hierarchy and legal status. The Catechism teaches that Christian love (charity) is the greatest of all virtues (CCC 1822) and is the new and ultimate law of the New Covenant. It is this love that allows Philemon to see Onesimus not as a piece of property but as his own heart.

B.    Our gospel for today demonstrates that the radical detachment from family and possessions isn't an act of coldness, but a necessary step to free oneself to love in a new, supernatural way. By putting God first, a person can love others more fully, as God loves them. This is the foundation of the Christian community, where bonds of faith are stronger than those of blood. The cost of discipleship is the very thing that enables a person to participate in the transformative love of God, which is ultimately a love that gives everything.

C.    The first reading provides the spiritual source for this love. It states that God's wisdom and Holy Spirit make the "paths of those on earth made straight." (Wisdom 9:18) This straightening of paths leads to a life of righteousness and justice, which the Catechism says is a key fruit of charity (CCC 1825). It is through God's wisdom and love that Philemon's path is made straight, allowing him to perform the righteous and loving act of welcoming his former slave as a brother.

    IV. The Christian Ways 

     There are three main ways to practice the themes of divine wisdom, radical discipleship, and Christian love:

1. Cultivate Divine Wisdom through Prayer and Study

To practice the theme of divine wisdom from the Book of Wisdom, we can make a conscious effort to seek God's guidance rather than relying solely on your own intellect.

·         Prayer: Regularly pray for the gift of the Holy Spirit and wisdom. A simple prayer can be "Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful and enkindle in them the fire of Your love. Send forth Your Spirit and they shall be created, and You shall renew the face of the earth."

·         Study: Engage in a deeper study of Scripture and the teachings of the saints. This helps us align our mind with God's counsel.

·         Spiritual Direction: Seek counsel from a trusted spiritual director, pastor, or wise mentor. They can help us discern God's will in specific situations, acting as a guide who is also seeking God's wisdom.

2. Practice Radical Detachment and Discipleship

To live out the radical demands of discipleship found in Luke's Gospel, you must actively prioritize God above all other attachments.

·         Self-Examination: Regularly examine our life for anything that competes with our love for God—be it material possessions, relationships, comfort, or even personal ambitions.

·         Sacrificial Giving: Practice sacrificial giving of our time, talent, and treasure. This could mean volunteering at a charity, fasting from a favorite activity, or tithing. Each act of giving helps to detach us from worldly things and reminds us that everything is a gift from God.

·         Embrace the Cross: Be willing to accept inconvenience or suffering for the sake of our faith. This can be as simple as enduring a challenging conversation about our beliefs or as difficult as giving up a career path that compromises your values.

3. Transform Relationships with Christian Love

To practice the transformative power of Christian love seen in the Letter to Philemon, we must actively choose to love others with the same selfless love Christ has for you.

·         Forgiveness: Forgive those who have wronged you, just as Philemon was called to forgive Onesimus. Forgiveness is not about condoning the action but about releasing your own heart from bitterness and mirroring God's mercy.

·         Service: Seek out opportunities to serve others, especially those society might overlook or consider beneath you. This practice breaks down social barriers and fosters genuine fraternity.

·         See the Person: Consciously look beyond a person's social status, background, or past mistakes and see their inherent dignity as a child of God. This helps you love them "no longer as a slave but more than a slave, a beloved brother," transforming the relationship from one based on utility to one based on unconditional love.

May these insights inspire you to seek God's wisdom in all things, embrace the call to discipleship in your daily life, and love others with the same self-giving charity that Christ showed to us.

GOD BLESS YOU!

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