Daily Readings - Thu Nov 15 2018

⁷For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother.⁸Wherefore, though I might be much bold in Christ to enjoin thee that which is convenient,⁹Yet for love's sake I rather beseech thee, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.¹⁰I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds:¹¹Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me:¹²Whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels:¹³Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel:¹⁴But without thy mind would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly.¹⁵For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever;¹⁶Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord?¹⁷If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself.¹⁸If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account;¹⁹I Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will repay it: albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides.²⁰Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord: refresh my bowels in the Lord.

Luke

Chapter 17

²⁰And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:²¹Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.²²And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it.²³And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them.²⁴For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.²⁵But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation.

Sermon

In today's readings, we are invited to reflect on the transformative power of faith and compassion. The letter to Philemon highlights Paul's heartfelt plea for Philemon to accept Onesimus, a former slave turned brother in Christ, emphasizing the equality and unity found in faith. This story illustrates how faith can change our perspectives and relationships, urging us to see others through the lens of compassion and shared humanity. In the Gospel, Jesus teaches that the Kingdom of God is not something to be awaited with grandeur but is already present among us. He warns against being deceived by false signs and reminds us that the Kingdom is within. This message calls us to recognize God's presence in our daily lives and in every person we encounter. Connecting these readings, we see a common theme of community and compassion. Just as Philemon is urged to see Onesimus as a brother, we too are called to recognize the divine spark in everyone. The Kingdom of God is not just a future hope but a present reality lived out in our interactions. As we navigate our daily lives, let us embody this Kingdom by treating others with love and respect, seeing Christ in each person we meet. This is the heart of our faith—unity and compassion in action.