Wisdow 9.13-19 | Philemon 9b-10,12-17 | Luke 14.25-33

We begin with Mother Church the twenty-third week of Ordinary Time, this September, dedicated to the Sacred Scriptures.

The Bible is a collection of 73 books, organized into two parts: the First Testament (sacred books of Judaism) and the Second Testament (sacred books of Christianity).

The Bible is one of the three pillars of faith and divine revelation for Catholics, along with the Tradition and Magisterium of the Church.

For Christians, the divine promises to the Jews contained in the First Testament were fully fulfilled in Jesus Christ and the Church, as demonstrated in the Second Testament.

At Mass, there is the Liturgy of the Word, where texts from the Sacred Scriptures are proclaimed, reflected upon in the homily, and prayed in the Prayer of the Faithful. The center is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which is preceded by a reading from the First Testament (accompanied by a Psalm) and another reading from the Second Testament.

Faith is born and develops from reading/listening to the Word of God. To ignore the Holy Scriptures is to ignore Christ. The Christian God is essentially biblical.

In September, we are invited to deepen our Catechesis on the Bible, encouraging its daily reading in the Church and in families, as a divine light that points the right direction.

Today, the Evangelist Luke speaks to us about love for Jesus above love for family.

Following/discipleship was presented as a cross, as a construction, as a war, as a renunciation of everything.

"Love God above all things" is the first commandment. Man must not love the creature more than the Creator. The radical nature of love for Jesus points to the recognition of His divinity. He is God the Son, the second Person of the Holy Trinity, and as such, must be loved above love for family. Love for God frees us from attachment to human relationships.

It is a particularly difficult path for those called to marriage and the formation of their own family. Let it be clear: Jesus blesses marital love and loves families! But, indeed, it is Jesus who must occupy first place in our hearts. And not just as a vague feeling, but as a concrete commitment to sharing with the poor.

Jesus expects a mature and conscious adherence from His disciples, not just an approach motivated by a momentary emotion.

Today, the author of the Book of Wisdom speaks to us of the Holy Spirit who makes known God's plans.

Man can barely know what is on earth because his thinking mind is oppressed by his corruptible body. Men have learned what pleases the Lord and have been saved thanks to the Wisdom given to them by God.

We need the Lord, for mortal thoughts are timid and our reflections uncertain. Let us ask the Holy Spirit to strengthen us and enlighten our minds to discern God's will for ourselves and our families.

Today, the apostle Paul speaks to us in his letter to Philemon about the love of Christ that revolutionizes social relations.

In short: in Rome, Paul converted to the Christian faith his fellow prisoner, Onesimus, who was slave of Philemon and had run away from him. The apostle interceded for their reconciliation, appealing to the love of Christ. Paul asked Philemon to welcome Onesimus back as a brother in faith, and no longer as a runaway slave.

Thus, it can be seen that conversion to the Christian faith had a direct impact on social relations. A common faith in Jesus Christ changed the way we viewed people. It was a further step in treating them in a way that was proportionate to the dignity of the human being.

Contemporary society is full of conflicting social relations, and we have the opportunity to positively influence the resolution of these conflicts, based both on our common Christian faith and on the recognition of the inviolable dignity of the human being. 

Let us not be content with merely reading the Holy Scriptures. We must become practitioners of God's Word.