Readings for
Sunday, September 6, 1998
Twenty Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

First Reading

Wisdom 9:13-18 (130)

13

For who among men is he that can know the counsel of God? or who can think what the will of God is?

14

For the thoughts of mortal men are fearful, and our counsels uncertain.

For the corruptible body is a load upon the soul, and the earthly habitation presseth down the mind that museth upon many things.

16

And hardly do we guess aright at things that are upon earth: and with labour do we find the things that are before us. But the things that are in heaven, who shall search out?

17

And who shall know thy thought, except thou give wisdom, and send thy Holy Spirit from above:

18

And so the ways of them that are upon earth may be corrected, and men may learn the things that please thee?

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 90:3-17

3

Thou turnest man back to the dust, and sayest, "Turn back, O children of men!"

4

For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night.

5

Thou dost sweep men away; they are like a dream, like grass which is renewed in the morning:

6

in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers.

7

For we are consumed by thy anger; by thy wrath we are overwhelmed.

8

Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.

9

For all our days pass away under thy wrath, our years come to an end like a sigh.

10

The years of our life are threescore and ten, or even by reason of strength fourscore; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away.

11

Who considers the power of thy anger, and thy wrath according to the fear of thee?

12

So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.

13

Return, O LORD! How long? Have pity on thy servants!

14

Satisfy us in the morning with thy steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

15

Make us glad as many days as thou hast afflicted us, and as many years as we have seen evil.

16

Let thy work be manifest to thy servants, and thy glorious power to their children.

17

Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish thou the work of our hands upon us, yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.

Second Reading

Philemon 9-10, 12-17

9

yet for love's sake I prefer to appeal to you--I, Paul, an ambassador and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus--

10

I appeal to you for my child, Ones'imus, whose father I have become in my imprisonment.

12

I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart.

13

I would have been glad to keep him with me, in order that he might serve me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel;

14

but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own free will.

15

Perhaps this is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back for ever,

16

no longer as a slave but more than a slave, as a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

17

So if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me.

Gospel

Luke 14:25-33

25

Now great multitudes accompanied him; and he turned and said to them,

26

"If any one 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.

27

Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

28

For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?

29

Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him,

30

saying, 'This man began to build, and was not able to finish.'

31

Or what king, going to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and take counsel whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?

32

And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends an embassy and asks terms of peace.

33

So therefore, whoever of you does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.