Homily for Tuesday, Week 25 of Ordinary Time

Homily for Tuesday
Week 25 of Ordinary Time

Sept. 22, 2025
Prov 21: 1-6, 10-13
Luke 8: 19-21
Christian Brothers, St. Joseph’s Residence, N.R.

Jesus teaching (Rembrandt)

After a long series of readings from 1 Corinthians, this week we take up some of the Bible’s wisdom literature, moving rapidly thru Proverbs and Ecclesiastes before jumping into Job next week.

Much of Proverbs is ordinary wisdom about good, prudent behavior, such as you can find in Aesop or Poor Richard’s Almanac.  But there’s divine wisdom in the mix, like the verse, “To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice” (Prov 21:3).

That resembles some of Jesus’ teaching.  Just yesterday, on the feast of St. Matthew, he told the Pharisees, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice” (Matt 9:13).  Today he teaches that those closest to him, those who belong to his family, are those who act on God’s word (Luke 8:21), those who do what is right and just.  That’s wisdom in action, wisdom inspired by God, wisdom that keeps us close to our Lord.