Daily Readings - Thu Nov 12 2020

⁷For I have found great joy and consolation in your charity, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother⁸Because of this, I have enough confidence in Christ Jesus to command you concerning certain things⁹but I beg you instead, for the sake of charity, since you are so much like Paul: an old man and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ¹⁰I beg you, on behalf of my son, whom I have begotten in my chains, Onesimus¹¹In times past, he was useless to you, but now he is useful both to me and to you¹²So I have sent him back to you. And may you receive him like my own heart¹³I myself wanted to retain him with me, so that he might minister to me, on your behalf, while I am in the chains of the Gospel¹⁴But I was willing to do nothing without your counsel, so as not to make use of your good deed as if out of necessity, but only willingly¹⁵So perhaps, then, he departed from you for a time, so that you might receive him again for eternity¹⁶no longer as a servant, but, in place of a servant, a most beloved brother, especially to me: but how much so more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord¹⁷Therefore, if you hold me to be a companion, receive him as you would me¹⁸But if he has harmed you in any way, or if he is in your debt, charge it to me¹⁹I, Paul, have written this with my own hand: I will repay. And I need not tell you, that you are also in debt yourself, to me²⁰So it is, brother. May I delight with you in the Lord! Refresh my heart in Christ

Luke

Chapter 17

²⁰Then he was questioned by the Pharisees: "When does the kingdom of God arrive?" And in response, he said to them: "The kingdom of God arrives unobserved²¹And so, they will not say, ‘Behold, it is here,’ or ‘Behold, it is there.’ For behold, the kingdom of God is within you.²²And he said to his disciples: "The time will come when you will desire to see one day of the Son of man, and you will not see it²³And they will say to you, ‘Behold, he is here,’ and ‘Behold, he is there.’ Do not choose to go out, and do not follow them²⁴For just as lightning flashes from under heaven and shines to whatever is under heaven, so also will the Son of man be in his day²⁵But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation

Sermon

In today's readings, we encounter powerful messages about transformation, reconciliation, and the presence of God's Kingdom. The first reading from Philemon highlights Paul's heartfelt plea to Philemon to accept Onesimus, a former slave, as a brother in Christ. This letter underscores the transformative power of faith, where social hierarchies are transcended by the unity found in Christ. Paul's request is not just about reconciliation but also about recognizing the inherent dignity of every individual as a child of God. The Gospel from Luke shifts our focus to Jesus' teachings on the Kingdom of God. He explains that the Kingdom is not something to be observed with signs or external events but is already present within us. This internal reality of God's Kingdom challenges us to seek spiritual growth and divine presence in our daily lives. Jesus warns against being misled by false claims of the Messiah's arrival, emphasizing that the Kingdom's presence is more about inner transformation than external spectacle. Both readings invite us to reflect on how we view others and our own spirituality. Philemon's story calls us to treat everyone with love and respect, seeing the divine in each person. The Gospel reminds us that true spiritual growth is an internal journey, where God's presence is cultivated in our hearts. As we navigate our daily lives, may we embrace the transformative power of faith, fostering reconciliation and recognizing the ever-present Kingdom of God within us. Let us strive to live with compassion and mindfulness of God's presence, allowing it to guide our interactions and inner peace.