Catholic Daily Readings and Reflection for Sunday, September 7, 2025 - Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary TimeWhy did Jesus deliver what might be the worst marketing speech in religious history? Today's readings from Wisdom 9, Psalm 90, Philemon, and Luke 14 reveal how Jesus deliberately transformed his growing crowd of enthusiastic followers into a smaller group of committed disciples by raising the stakes beyond what most were willing to pay.The crowds following Jesus were getting larger and more enthusiastic, drawn by his miracles and teaching. Then Jesus turns around and demands they hate father, mother, spouse, children, and even their own lives to be his disciples. He tells them to count the cost like builders planning towers or kings preparing for war, because most haven't done the math on what following him actually requires.This Catholic daily mass reflection explores why Jesus threatens every form of partial discipleship that keeps him as an add-on rather than the organizing principle of life, how Solomon's wisdom prayer reveals human limitations when confronted with divine logic, and what Paul's costly request to Philemon demonstrates about gospel relationships that transcend social conventions.The challenge for anyone in comfortable circumstances is honestly calculating what total discipleship would require. What relationships, possessions, ambitions, or securities would have to be surrendered if Jesus truly became Lord rather than just Savior? The math that doesn't add up according to worldly calculation makes perfect sense from eternal perspective.Perfect for Catholics examining their level of commitment to Christ, Christians struggling with partial discipleship and competing loyalties, believers studying the cost of following Jesus completely, anyone attracted to Christian benefits without considering Christian demands, and those learning to distinguish between enjoying Jesus's provision and submitting to his lordship.📖 ReadingsWisdom 9: 13-18bPsalm 90Philemon 9-10, 12-17Luke 14:25-33⏱️ Timeline00:00 Introduction00:15 Reading I - Wisdom 9: 13-18b00:57 Psalm Response - Psalm 9004:52 Reading II - Philemon 9-10,12-1705:40 Gospel - Luke 14:25-3306:52 ReflectionPerfect for: Catholics examining their level of commitment to Christ and his teachings, Christians struggling with partial discipleship and competing loyalties, believers studying the radical demands of following Jesus completely, anyone attracted to Christian benefits without seriously considering Christian demands, those learning to distinguish between enjoying Jesus's provision and submitting to his lordship, people exploring the relationship between divine wisdom and human calculation, and individuals counting the cost of total discipleship in their specific circumstances.🎧 Prefer to listen on the go? The Christus Dominus Daily Bread podcast is now available: Video Podcast: Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/7H4YZ5ZIq4rVVF3670Av3t YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTPJP7WEcCSTIO2N4N_AoIsxmzIYRYiSt Audio Podcast: Apple Podcasts → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/christus-dominus-daily-bread/id1826298886#CatholicDailyReadings #CatholicMass #CostOfDiscipleship #TotalSurrender #FollowingJesus #CatholicReflection

Ver todos los episodios