Reflection for the Twenty Third Sunday of Ordinary Time 2022 Year C 

   The paths are made straight for those on earth who know God and heed his council. We cannot understand divine plans because as humans, we are limited. However, God is revealed to us through the wisdom sent to us by the Holy Spirit. Consequently, we can become aware of God’s purpose for us, and that purpose is to become our path in this life. God loves the human race and intends heaven for each of us.
               Paul was a great evangelized and brought many converts to Christ. One such convert was a slave known as Onesimus. For this slave, Paul was a Spiritual father. Today, Paul is pleading to the owner of this slave to take him back, not in slavery, but as a beloved brother in the Lord. Paul asks the slave owner to welcome Onesimus as he would welcome Paul himself. In a similar manner, we are to do the same as what Paul asks of the slave owner – to change our ways and become more compassionate, leading others to Christ.

         The Gospel calls upon us to sacrifice everything to be a disciple of Christ. We must be willing to take up our cross and follow him. If possessions or even family or friends interfere  this discipleship, then we are asked to oppose them and do what is right. It may not be popular and it may make others uncomfortable, but we must follow the Lord. If we fail in doing what is right with God, then we will have pitched a tent of the earthly, which will surely weigh us down. Our burdens may become too  heavy for the soul and our path to heaven  will not be straight, maybe even hidden by our stacking up possessions and concerns about the opinions of others. We are, instead, to call on the Holy Spirit to give us the wisdom to discern God’s will in our lives and then to follow it. Then our burdens will be lightened and our path to the glory of eternal life will be straight. That is the true purpose of God’s plan for us.

May God bless you all!

Fr. Dominic

Your brother in Christ