23RD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (YEAR C)

1st Reading           Wisdom 9:13-18b

Psalm                      90: 3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14 and 17 (R. 1)

R:// "O Lord, you have been our refuge from generation to generation"

2nd Reading          Philemon 9b-10, 12-17

Gospel                     Luke 14: 25-33

DISCIPLESHIP BEYOND HUMAN CALCULATIONS

Friends, Peace and Goodness! Today is the 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). It is also the first Sunday of September. With September, we start the "Ber" months, months ending in "Ber". The first reading is from Wisdom 9:13-18b, and the Gospel is Luke 14: 25-33. Let us tackle them quickly.

The first reading from Wisdom 9:13-18b comes from a Deuterocanonical book. Wisdom is one of the Deuterocanonical books, along with six others. It was written in Greek in Alexandria (in Egypt). It was written in the 1st Century BC. This is the era of Greek rule with the policy of Hellenization. With this policy, the whole world was to have a touch of Greek in all aspects — language, culture, etc.

Previously, in Israel's history, there were major exiles; Assyrian and Babylonian exiles. These exiles led to the dispersion of Jews throughout the known world. These Jews would encounter the Greek policy of Hellenization in a higher degree. Hence, the temptation to totally abandon their Jewish faith in favour of the Greek culture is envisaged. Also, some of the Jews were born and bred outside the Jewish territory. These too risk losing their Jewish identity. The author of Wisdom, while using Greek philosophy and culture, attempts to teach the Jewish faith to these ones and all Jews, by extension, so that they do not turn away from God. 

The text of 5 verses forms part of Chapter 9 of Wisdom, which has the style of a "prayer". The author is not specific about the name of the individual at prayer. However, we can glimpse. Talking about the Old Testament Wisdom phenomenon, the quintessential man is Solomon, largely because of his choice in 1 Kings 3:9a, thus, "Give your servant a listening heart to judge your people and to distinguish between good and evil". Also, becaude of the display of his Wisdom in judging the case of the two women (1 Kings 3:16-28) and the witness of the Queen of Sheba to Solomon's Wisdom (1 Kings 10:4). Our first reading is the last verses of Wisdom 9. 

In the prayer, he talks about the limitedness of man in relation to God. He points out two very important concepts. He mentions the Mind and the Body, thus, "for a perishable body weighs down the soul, and this earthly tent burdens the thoughtful mind". These two words — Mind (or Soul) and Body — are deeply rooted in Greek platonic philosophy. The author, undoubtedly, used Greek philosophy. The issue is that for the Platonic Greek, all that there is to man's composition are the Body and the Soul. This is the fullness of man. The author intends to say, invariably, that man, by and in his own capacity, cannot LEARN the COUNSEL of God. Learning is the disposition of a disciple. In fact. What the disciple learns is the Counsel of God. 

The author wants to tell us that following God's ways, his counsel, cannot be done by our own strength. We need something else. What we need is supplied by God alone — Wisdom and the Holy Spirit (Wis. 9:17). The Greek word for Wisdom is "Sophia". Its Old Testament Hebrew word is "ḥokmâh (חָכְמָה,)", and this is not just intelligence or skill. It is a divine gift. It is the ability to know the intricacies of what God has revealed. That ability is seen in one's life. This Wisdom will remain as it is if it is not actualized by the SPIRIT. 

With the mention of Spirit, the author gives a Jewish climax to the prayer. In Jewish anthropology, man is made up of the Body, Soul, and Spirit. In this case, to be a faithful follower of the Counsel of God, the LAW of God, is not to depend on one's strength alone, but being alive by the Spirit of God. This grace is a gift from God. The problem is not that the body is evil, but that earthly weakness and cares make it hard to grasp God's wisdom. Therefore, we need to pray for God's gift of Wisdom so as to become true learners of His Counsel.

The Gospel is from Luke 14: 25-33. Jesus makes very strange and shocking statements. He says, "If anyone comes to me and does not HATE his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple". Why would HATE become the criteria for discipleship? Well, let us underline the fact that the people Jesus mentions are 7 in number, and 7 is the number of perfection. What he requires is a total "HATE". What is the "HATE"?

The Greek word translated as "Hate" is "Misei". The language Jesus used is rooted in Ancient Near Eastern (or Semitic) idiom. That word means to "love less" or "put in the Second place". This supposes that another thing should take the first place. In fact, in Genesis 29:30-31, Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah, and Leah is described as "hated". The Hebrew word is "śānē", which relates to the Greek word "misei". Leah is simply made second to Rachel. Therefore, if we must follow Jesus, then it should be total, without reserve, and all others are second to being a disciple of Jesus. 

The second shocking statement is the "Carrying of the Cross". The Jew knows that anyone hunged on a tree was considered cursed by God (Deut. 21:23). The Cross is a symbol of Roman terror and shame. Ideally, no one would want to carry a Cross. However, within the context of discipleship, Jesus intends to say that the Cross is a symbol of shame, curse, and suffering and that one who resolves to be a faithful disciple should be able to bear all these for God's sake. Discipleship will come with shame, humiliation, and suffering. 

The third is the building of the tower. In Proverbs 24:3-4, we are told that "by Wisdom a house is built". An unfinished tower would publicly shame a family. "Count the cost" before taking vows, entering covenants, and committing to the Torah. The Torah contains the Counsel of God. It becomes clear that one ought to be aware of what he or she is going into in terms of discipleship. Clear and full awareness of the situation and how to manoeuver the obstacles are very necessary. 

The last detail is that of a King going to War. In Deuteronomy 20:5-9, the Torah gives laws of warfare that instructed who could fight or be excused from war. This is careful discernment. In discipleship, we should be able to separate what would not be needful from what will be of help. 

In the final analysis, true discipleship is only possible when guided by divine Wisdom — the Spirit — because it calls us to live beyond ordinary human calculations. Jesus' teaching was radical, but consistent with Israel's history; God's Wisdom always demanded loyalty beyond family, courage in suffering, careful discernment, and dependence on Him in battle.

Pax et Bonum