Homily for the Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year C (2025)


Introduction

A little boy once told his mother, “I love you so much, Mommy, I’d do anything for you… as long as it doesn’t take too much time and I don’t have to stop playing my video game!”
We laugh, but isn’t that often how we treat God? We say, “Lord, I’ll follow You… but please don’t ask for too much.” Today’s Gospel shows us that discipleship is not halfway—it demands everything.

The Word of God

  • Wisdom 9:13–18b – We are reminded that human reasoning is weak, but God’s Spirit guides us to understand His ways. Without His wisdom, we stumble in darkness.

  • Psalm 90 – The psalmist prays that God teach us to “number our days aright.” Life is short; only God gives meaning and direction.

  • Philemon 9b–10, 12–17 – Paul urges Philemon to welcome Onesimus not as a slave but as a brother. Faith transforms relationships and calls for radical love.

  • Luke 14:25–33 – Jesus teaches that following Him requires renouncing attachments, even family and possessions, and taking up the cross. Discipleship is costly, but it leads to true life.

Connection of the Readings

All the readings speak of wisdom and cost. True wisdom is realizing that nothing is more valuable than Christ. To follow Him requires both inner freedom (letting go of possessions and attachments) and a new way of living with others (as brothers and sisters in Christ).

Reflection Questions

  1. What “possessions” or attachments do I cling to that prevent me from following Christ fully?

  2. Am I willing to carry my cross with faith instead of cutting it down to make it “lighter”?

  3. Do I treat others, especially those different from me, as true brothers and sisters in Christ?

Implications for Daily Living (Jubilee Year & Synod on Synodality)

  • Jubilee Year 2025: The Jubilee calls us to freedom—not freedom from responsibility, but freedom to love God and neighbor more deeply by letting go of what enslaves us.

  • Synod on Synodality: Walking together means carrying each other’s crosses. Discipleship is not an individual journey but a communal path of listening, sharing, and supporting one another in faith.

Inspiration / Motivation

The cross is not meant to crush us but to transform us. What seems like a burden becomes a bridge to eternal life.

Quote

Jesus: “Whoever does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:27)
St. Augustine: “You have made us for Yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You.”

Final Thoughts

To be a disciple is not cheap. It demands our heart, our will, our possessions, our time, even our relationships. But in surrendering all, we gain Christ, who is worth infinitely more.

Concluding Prayer

Lord Jesus,
teach me to walk in wisdom,
to let go of all that keeps me from You,
and to carry my cross with love.
Help me live in freedom,
love my brothers and sisters as You love me,
and remain faithful as Your disciple until the end.
Amen. 

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