Preview of readings for Sunday, September 9, 2007

Reading 1, Wisdom 9:13-18b  This is one of the O.T. deuterocanonical books (not included in Protestant bibles) written in Greek by a teacher in the Jewish community at Alexandria, Egypt, about 100 years before Jesus. We have a hard enough time figuring out how to live day to day in this world. How can we ever understand things of heaven except through the gift of divine wisdom? And with that wisdom, we can see earthly things in context and better understand things of this world better as well.  How does your understanding of spiritual truths help you better understand and deal with daily living?

Reading II, Philemon 9-10,12-17  Paul sends runaway slave Onesimus back to slave owner Philemon, in whose house the Christians of Colossae meet for the Eucharist each week. Tychicus, a member of Paul’s team, accompanies Onesimus both for his safety and to present two letters from Paul…this finely-crafted encouragement to free Onesimus and an accompanying letter to the entire Colossian Christian community in which Onesimus is mentioned.  Paul challenges Philemon to treat his slave as his brother in the faith. Whom do you have most difficulty thinking of and treating as a brother/sister in the faith?

Gospel, Luke 14:25-33  Jesus talks of establishing goals, calculating what one needs to do to reach those goals, and considering the sacrifices and dedication necessary to do so.   Assuming that one of your goals is to live eternally in heaven, what do you need to do on your part to reach that goal?