Homily: Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)
Wisdom 9:13–18b | Philemon 9–10, 12–17 | Luke 14:25–33
7 September 2025
Fr. Ricky Cañet Montañez, AA
How rich does one need to be to spend seven hundred sixty thousand pesos (P760,000.00) on a dinner for four (4)? Let us not even talk about where one’s wealth has come from. Even if one considers that amount “barya-barya lang” or spare change, where is the wisdom in spending that much on a meal? Where is the wisdom in flaunting it in a society where hunger is prevalent and majority are financially struggling? When a rich man says, “It is my money and I can spend it any way I like!”, to an extent it is true. But it makes us wonder… “Has that person ever considered that perhaps God blessed him/her not for a life of luxury, but to uplift others?” It is a classic example of how wealth and worldly wisdom can so easily distort our judgment.
The Book of Wisdom today is very honest with us. It tells us that human wisdom is flawed. Many times, our plans fail, our reasoning can be weak, and we easily get lost. We think we are smart; we think we know all the answers; until things go wrong because we have made the wrong assumptions or were unaware of all the circumstances. How true that is for us Filipinos —we put our hopes in politicians who make grand promises, only to be shocked after by blatant corruption and disappointing performance. We follow trends and popular voices, but they often leave us more divided than united. It shows us clearly: human wisdom will always fall short — only God’s wisdom is enough.
God, however, does not leave us in the dark. The passage from the Book of Wisdom tells us that God gives wisdom through His Spirit. It is a gift that helps us cut through the noise of the world, the deception of false treasures, and the sound of empty promises. It is not just about intelligence or clever strategies, but wisdom that comes from above. God’s wisdom teaches us to recognise what is true, and to choose what is right and what is eternal. This kind of wisdom is not about being the loudest or the smartest. It is about discernment. It is about courage. It is about choosing love over hate, justice over corruption, truth over lies, service over selfishness.
It is this wisdom that allows us to recognise the true cost of discipleship, yet still choose it as the better way. Following Jesus is not easy. The gospel passage says we must be able to do three (3) things: First, “Love God above everything and everyone.” It means letting go of attachments, even relationships, if they lead us away from God. It is to consciously choose Christ all the time, above all our favourite things, our most beloved people, our most cherished achievements. Second, “Carry our cross.” It means more than simply enduring a difficult burden. Let us remember that the cross was an instrument of execution so this is a call to self-denial and a willingness to suffer for the sake of following Jesus, even to the point of death. It implies a total surrender of one’s own will, desires, and self-interest to follow His path. Sometimes that cross is standing up for truth even when it is unpopular. It means making choices that may hurt in the short term but save us in the long run. Lastly, “One must be prepared to give up everything — possessions, status, and even life itself — to follow Jesus.” A true disciple cannot have divided loyalties. Clearly, it is not a command to sell everything we own, but rather to hold all possessions loosely and to willingly give them up for the sake of the Kingdom. A follower’s identity and security must be found in Jesus, not in wealth or belongings. We need to know that following Jesus requires a radical and all-encompassing commitment. To make a half-baked commitment is making no commitment at all. Wisdom from above helps us to see that discipleship is costly, but it is the only way to life.
Let us imagine if we as a people would make our decisions guided not by fear or pride, but by God’s Spirit. Let us imagine if families, communities, even our leaders, prayed first before acting, asking: “Lord, what is your will?” Wouldn’t our nation look very different? Instead of being pulled apart by division, we would be drawn together by truth. Instead of being lost in confusion, we would walk a clearer path. Our Second Reading is a clear example how the wisdom in following Christ gives Paul the confidence to write to Philemon, asking him to welcome his runaway slave Onesimus with forgiveness and to treat him as brother instead of as a slave. The cost of discipleship may be high but it changes our capacity for relationships for the better, it sets our priorities straight, and it enables us to perceive what is truly of value.
It does not take much to realise that what our society needs is more wisdom — God’s wisdom, especially for those in positions of influence and authority who have the capacity to uplift the poor and build God’s Kingdom in our land. So today, we pray for one thing above all: that the Lord may fill us with wisdom. Not the noisy wisdom of the world, but the quiet wisdom of the Spirit that will guide our families, heal our communities, and lead our nation closer to God’s plan.
“Divine Wisdom” a painting by Inese Eglite
Sunday Gospel Reflections 