Scripture Reflection, September 7, 2025, 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Wisdom 9:13-18b Philemon 9-10, 12-17 Luke 14:25-33

For twenty years it was my privilege to direct the Catechumenate at my parish, to prepare people for the life-changing experience of baptism into discipleship of the Lord Jesus.

Over the years I saw many baptisms. At first we used a cup of water poured over the head of the catechumen into a large plastic bowl… the kind that holds the greens at a salad bar! Then we advanced to a kiddie pool draped in plastic. A pitcher of water would be poured over the initiate kneeling in the pool which was surrounded by potted lilies. All those baptisms were meaningful. But it was not until we had our baptismal pool, that I saw baptism as it was truly meant to be celebrated… with “enough water to die in.” …

Enough water to die in. The baptismal pool is both the tomb and the womb of the church. In baptism, the water breaks and the new disciple is born. But in the pool something has died … the old life, the old priorities. Welcome to the cost analysis in today's gospel. Jesus is clear. There will be a cost to discipleship.

Join me this week as I check my own score on the old “Discipleship- o-meter”:

Has my commitment to the care of the Earth cost me some convenience as I have replaced plastics in my life with more earth -friendly materials?

Has my service to others… my family, the children I tutor, the hungry I feed at a soup kitchen… cost me some time?

Has my advocacy for the poor, the immigrant, the marginalized cost me some friendships with others less justice-minded?

Has my bank account shrunk a bit because of my donations to local, national, international groups that bring face-to-face relief to those suffering from natural disasters or oppressive governments?

If, like me, you feel inspired to raise your score this week on the “Discipleship- o- meter” in order to be a more faithful follower of Jesus, I pray that we have the courage to act on that inspiration.

by: Pat Schnee, OPA