September 7, 2025

September 7, 2025

23rd Sunday of Year C

BISHOP ROBERT BARRON (3:12) – During his 2023 trip to London, Bishop had the opportunity to visit St. Thomas More’s cell in the Tower of London. More died the king’s good servant—“but God’s first.” St. Thomas More, pray for us!

Fr. Tony’s
Jokes of the
Week

President in search of a true Christian disciple:

Abraham Lincoln was debating whom to hire as Indian Commissioner. He called his advisors Ben Wade and Senator Daniel Voorhees for assistance in selecting the right man.

“Gentlemen,” said President Lincoln, “I want an honest, decent, caring, moral Christian man, a man frugal and self-sacrificing!”

“Mr. President, I feel certain you won’t find him,” said Voorhees.

“And why not?” asked the President.

“Because he was Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified eighteen hundred years ago,” said the Senator.

One morning Rev. Desmond went to the front door of his rectory to get his newspaper and found a dead mule on the street. He quickly called the city health department and asked to have the mule disposed of.

The smart-mouthed secretary on duty said, “Hey, Reverend Pastor, I always heard that you pastors buried your own dead even if they are not practicing Christian disciples”.

“Yes, we do, “the pastor, replied. “But not in all cases.

In this case, I would like to meet the deceased’s close relatives in the Health Department in person to offer my condolences and to give a special blessing!

HOMILY ANECDOTES
ST. PAUL AND ONESIMUS
Christian Discipleship

23rd Sunday of Year C

MOVIE CLIPS (1:44) – The scene where Sir Thomas More says he is “God’s first” in the 1966 film A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS.

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St. Thomas More, a distinguished lawyer, linguist, and writer, served as Lord Chancellor under King Henry VIII of England. More, a devoted husband and father, is best known for his classic book Utopia. Refusing to support the Act of Succession that validated Henry VIII’s divorce and remarriage, More was imprisoned in the Tower of London in 1534.

Despite his family’s pleas, More could not compromise his values and acknowledge the king as the Church of England’s supreme head. After 15 months in prison, he was convicted of treason and beheaded on July 6, 1535. On the scaffold, More declared himself “the king’s good servant but God’s first,” demonstrating an unwavering commitment to his faith that ultimately cost him his life. St. Thomas More’s story exemplifies the strength of prioritizing one’s love for God above all else.

23rd Sunday of Year C

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23rd Sunday of Year C

MOTIVERSITY (8:07) – THE GAME OF LIFE! The MOST motivational football speech EVER from William King Hollis.

How This Video is Related to Luke 14:25-33

The coach's powerful and intense speech connects to Luke 14:25-33 in some very direct and challenging ways, primarily around the theme of the total cost of commitment.

The banner —"We will drill you and drill you, then drill you again"—perfectly captures the demanding nature of both the coach and of Jesus in Luke 14:25-33. The speech is a modern, raw, and visceral parable of what Jesus is asking for.

Here’s a breakdown of the relationship between the speech and the Gospel reading:

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Exploring the Coach's Demand:

The speaker uses violent, extreme language: "break your neck to break their neck." Why do you think this kind of language is used in sports? What does it aim to achieve in the players?
The goal for the players is clear: winning, creating a legacy, and for some, escaping a difficult life. Do you think these goals justify the absolute, all-consuming commitment the coach is asking for? Why or why not?
In what areas of modern life (outside of sports) do we see this same demand for total, single-minded focus and sacrifice? (e.g., career, arts, entrepreneurship).

Exploring Jesus' Demand:

Jesus' use of the word "hate" is intentionally jarring. The commentary notes it's about a "radical reordering of loyalties." What does this reordering look like in a person's life today?
How does the demand to "hate even their own life" challenge our culture's emphasis on self-care, self-preservation, and personal happiness?
If this isn't about literal hatred, what is Jesus asking his followers to be willing to do in relation to their families and their own lives for the sake of the Gospel? Can you think of any examples, past or present?

Connecting the Two:

Both the coach and Jesus demand a #1 priority that is non-negotiable. What is the fundamental difference between the object of that priority in each case? (i.e., What are they ultimately serving?)
The coach's motivation seems to be about conquering an external opponent. Jesus' motivation is about a relationship with him. How does this change the nature of the sacrifice being asked?
Which demand do you find more difficult to comprehend or accept? The demand to give your physical all for a temporal goal, or the demand to reorder your deepest loves for an eternal one?

Personal Application:

What are the "family, possessions, and self" that compete for first place in your own heart and schedule?
What would it look like

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Exploring the Coach's Demand:

The speaker uses the analogy of a prize being at the bottom of a cereal box, saying you have to "eat through all that" hardship to get it. What kinds of "cereal" do people have to eat through to achieve their dreams today?
The speaker's motivation was deeply personal (saving his mother and family). How do high personal stakes change a person's willingness to endure pain and hardship?
For the players, the cost is physical pain and exhaustion, but the prize is a potential escape from poverty or violence. Do you believe this is a fair trade-off?

Exploring Jesus' Demand:

Jesus uses very practical examples of a tower builder and a king going to war. Why do you think he uses these "business-like" parables to talk about a spiritual commitment?
Jesus explicitly tells people to "sit down and estimate the cost." What is he trying to prevent by being so upfront and demanding such a clear-eyed calculation from his followers?
The cost Jesus outlines is "carrying their cross" and "renouncing all possessions." How is this different from the kind of cost the football coach is talking about? Is it harder or easier to pay?

Connecting the Two:

Both the coach and Jesus are brutally honest that the cost is "everything." Does the word "everything" mean the same thing in both contexts? Explain the difference.
The coach's prize is tangible and immediate (winning, a scholarship, a better life). The prize for a disciple is often less tangible in the present. How does that make the "cost calculation" more challenging for a person of faith?
Both leaders are trying to filter out those who are not fully committed. Why is it so important in both football and faith to have a team of people who have fully counted the cost?

Personal Application:

If you were to honestly "estimate the cost" of following Jesus more deeply in your own life, what would be the biggest items on that list? (e.g., time, comfort, reputation, money, relationships).
The parable of the tower builder warns against starting something you can't finish. In what area of your spiritual life can you be more intentional about "building wisely" to ensure you can see it through?

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Exploring the Coach's Demand:

The speaker doesn't just motivate the players; he re-brands them as "Kings." Why is giving someone a new, powerful identity more effective than just giving them instructions?
The identity of "King" comes with a "responsibility to dominate." What are the potential positive and negative consequences of adopting an identity that is based on power over others?
The speaker says, "When you step on that field again you don't say let's go you say let's go King." How does changing your language and your "self-talk" help solidify a new identity?

Exploring Jesus' Demand:

The identity of a "disciple" is defined by its relationship to the master. How is this different from the identity of "King," which is defined by a position of power?
Jesus' new identity as a disciple "supersedes all others" like son, brother, or farmer. Why is this so radical? What challenges would this have created for people in the first century, and what challenges does it create for us today?
This new identity as a disciple comes with requirements: carrying a cross and leaving attachments behind. How do these requirements shape the character of a disciple?

Connecting the Two:

Both "King" and "disciple" are powerful new identities that demand a new way of living. What is the fundamental difference in the source of that power for each identity?
A "King" on the football field acts to impose his will. A "disciple" of Jesus acts to carry out the will of their master. How does this lead to two completely different ways of engaging with the world?
Both identities are meant to give a person profound purpose and direction. In your view, which identity offers a more lasting and meaningful sense of purpose? Why?

Personal Application:

How does seeing yourself primarily as a "disciple" of Christ change how you view your other roles (e.g., your job, your role in your family, your citizenship)?
What is one practical way you can live out the identity of a "disciple" more fully this week, especially in a situation where it might require you to "leave an old attachment behind"?

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Exploring the Football Speech:

The coach's method is direct aggression: "You hit him in the mouth." In what areas of life is this "direct confrontation" mindset seen as a virtue?
The goal is described as "earthly victory and survival." What are the limitations of a life that is focused only on these goals?
The speech uses the "language of war and domination." How does thinking this way about a challenge or an opponent change how a person acts, both during and after the conflict?

Exploring the Gospel:

In the Gospel, the "enemy" isn't another person, but abstract concepts like "sin, selfishness, and the systems of the world." Why is it often harder to fight an internal or systemic enemy than a physical opponent?
The method of a disciple is "self-sacrificial love, forgiveness, and even loving the human enemy." Why is this approach so counter-intuitive and radically different from the world's methods?
What does an "eternal victory" look like compared to an "earthly victory"? Why might it be harder to stay motivated for a victory that isn't immediately visible?

Connecting the Two:

Let's contrast the two core actions: "Hit him in the mouth" vs. "Love your enemy." What does this fundamental difference tell us about the ultimate goal of each worldview?
The coach's speech leads to a temporal, explosive result: to "blow Hoover Stadium up." Jesus's path leads to an eternal, transformative result. How does the desired outcome shape the methods you're willing to use?
How does defining your "enemy" as a person (the opponent) versus a principle (sin) change the entire "game" you are playing in life?

Personal Application:

What is one specific situation this week where you could consciously choose the disciple's method—love, forgiveness, or self-sacrifice—instead of the worldly method of aggression or domination?

Who or what in your life do you sometimes treat as an "opponent" to be defeated (e.g., a difficult coworker, a political viewpoint, a personal challenge)?

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Reflection Questions

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23rd Sunday of Year C

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

LED BY CHRIST (01:36) – Dietrich Bonhoeffer‘s involvement in the resistance movement led to his arrest in 1943. He was later implicated in the failed July 20, 1944, plot to assassinate Hitler, which resulted in his execution at the Flossenburg concentration camp in April 1945, just days before the camp’s liberation by American forces.

As Martin Luther said, “A religion that gives nothing, costs nothing, and suffers nothing, is worth nothing.” In light of this, Bonhoeffer’s critique of a cost-free Christianity becomes relevant, as it highlights the importance of commitment and sacrifice in genuine discipleship. True followers of Christ should be willing to embrace the challenges and demands that come with following Him, instead of seeking an easy path

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23rd Sunday of Year C

Auguste Renoir and Costly Grace

ASSOCIATED PRESS (5:03) – Journey through Renoir’s life and artistry as the video explores his iconic masterpieces like “The Luncheon of the Boating Party” and “Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette,” and health challenges later in life.

French artists Henri Matisse and Auguste Renoir were close friends and frequent companions despite the fact that Renoir was twenty-eight years the senior of Matisse. During the last several years of his life, Renoir was virtually crippled by arthritis; nevertheless, he painted every day, and when his fingers were no longer supple enough to hold the brush correctly, he had his wife, Alice, attach the paintbrush to his hand in order that he might continue his work. Matisse visited him daily.

One day, as he watched his older friend wincing in excruciating pain with each colorful stroke, he asked, “Auguste, why do you continue to paint when you are in such agony?” Renoir’s response was immediate, “The beauty remains; the pain passes.”

Passion for his art empowered Renoir to paint until the day he died; those who continue to admire the enduring beauty of his smiling portraits, his landscapes, his still life studies of flowers and fruit will find no trace therein of the pain required to create them. Most will agree that the cost was worth the result. (Patricia Datchuck Sánchez).

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23rd Sunday of Year C

THE CHRISTIAN CHANNEL (15:57) – Did you know that one of the most forgotten characters in the New Testament had such a radical transformation that he went from being a runaway slave to a possible bishop of the church in Ephesus? In this revealing video, you will discover all the details about Onesimus — his escape, his encounter with Paul, the letter to Philemon, and what all of this teaches about forgiveness, Christian identity, and true reconciliation in Christ.

Was Onesimus Black?

Homily Starter

Reflection Questions w/ Infographics

Paul's Subtle and Masterful Strategy

The commentary states that Paul could not "safely challenge the social structure and survive." Given this, why do you think Paul chose a subtle approach of appealing to "Christian love" instead of directly condemning the institution of slavery?
Paul doesn't command Philemon, but rather appeals to him "for love's sake" (v. 9). How does this approach respect Philemon's free will while also making the request incredibly powerful?
Paul brilliantly uses a play on words. He says Onesimus was formerly "useless" to Philemon but is now "useful" (a nod to his name, which means "profitable") to both of them (v. 11). How does Paul redefine what it means to be "profitable" or "valuable" in a Christian context?

A Radical Request and a High Price

The core of the letter is Paul asking Philemon to receive Onesimus back "no longer as a slave but more than a slave, a beloved brother" (v. 16). What did it mean for a master in an "honor-shame" society to be asked to do this? What social status, honor, and control was Philemon being asked to risk?
The commentary connects this letter to the Gospel (Luke 14:25-33), where Jesus speaks of the high cost of discipleship—even breaking with family and social norms. In what ways is Paul asking Philemon to "pay the price" of being a follower of Jesus?
Paul even offers to pay any of Onesimus's debts himself (v. 18-19). What does this act tell us about Paul's love for Onesimus and the depth of his commitment to this reconciliation?

Human Dignity and the Foundation of Justice

The commentary emphasizes that the central issue is not the institution of slavery itself, but the human dignity of Onesimus. How does focusing on the dignity of the individual person provide a path to changing an unjust system from the inside out?
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC #2414) states it is a sin "to reduce them [persons] to their productive value." How does Paul's argument for Onesimus directly challenge this sin? Can you think of ways our modern society reduces people to their "productive value"?
How does this ancient letter, which never uses the word "abolition," lay a "foundation for social advocacy to help those powerless to help themselves"?

Application: Bringing the Message Home

The commentary ends with a powerful question for us today. Let's take some time to reflect on it personally and as a group.

Father McNamara asks: "What have you done to improve social justice concerns in your city?"

Let's discuss this in a few ways:

Seeing the "Onesimus" Among Us: Who in our community is often overlooked, seen as "unprofitable," or denied their full human dignity?
Challenging Our "Status Quo": What are the "cultural standards" or social structures today that can create barriers between people? What "high price" might we be called to pay to challenge them in the name of Christian love?
From Prayer to Action: What is one concrete step—personally or as a group—that we can take this month to affirm the dignity of another person or to address a local social justice concern?

23rd Sunday of Year C

Soren Kierkegaard said that there are a lot of parade-ground Christians who wear the uniforms of Christianity, but few who are willing to do battle for Christ and his kingdom. When it comes to doing battle for the Lord, too many church members are just sitting on the sidelines instead of “standing on the promises of God.”

Jesus does not want a large number of “half-way” disciples who are willing to do a “little bit” of prayer, a “little bit” of commitment, a “little bit” of dedication, a “little bit” of love. Jesus wants disciples who are truly committed to prayer, to discipleship and to being ruled by him as their king. With a few such dedicated disciples, Jesus has been change the world.

Today, more than a billion people gather to worship, but many of them are half-hearted Christians. We are tempted to forego the call to faithful stewardship, faithful worship attendance, faithful sexuality, honest business practices, accurate tax returns, and compassion for the less fortunate.

Ironically enough, Churches with high standards attract people with high standards. Integrity and commitment attract others. On the one hand, Jesus makes it very difficult to be his disciple. On the other hand, Jesus is making it impossible to be his disciple just using only our own abilities. When we confess, “I can’t,” then we are open for God’s “I can.” With God’s grace everything is possible.

In the book Power Surge, Mike Foss lists “six marks of discipleship for a changing Church” which he expects Christians to practice: 1) daily prayer, 2) weekly worship by participating in the Eucharistic celebration, 3) diligent study of the Bible, 4) service in and beyond the parish, 5) spiritual friendships, and 6) giving time, talents, and resources to the Lord’s work.

Jesus’ challenge of true Christian discipleship can be accepted only if we practice the spirit of detachment and renunciation in our daily lives. Real discipleship demands true commitment to the duties entrusted to us by life, circumstances, the community, or directly by God Himself, and by loving acts of selfless, humble, sacrificial love offered to all God’s children around us. Let us remember that all this is possible only if we rely on the power of prayer and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

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