During St. Paul’s imprisonment in Rome, he met a runaway slave named Onesimus and baptized him. Slaves under Roman law had no rights because they were considered property. They could be condemned to hard labor, punished with blows of the rod and otherwise tortured. Runaway slaves were treated even worse—they were to be branded with a red hot iron on the forehead with the letter F, for fugitivus, which meant runaway. A fugitivus, when recaptured, could even be crucified.
Somehow this runaway slave, Onesimus, had found his way from Colossae, modern-day Turkey, to the crowded, busy streets of the imperial capital city of Rome. And somehow, Onesimus had come into contact with Paul, who had been imprisoned. And while visiting Paul, Onesimus requested baptism, and become a Christian.
We know Onesimus grew quite dear to Paul. Paul writes how he wished Onesimus could stay with him in Rome, but Paul, the apostle, sends the newly baptized Onesimus back to Philemon, his master, to whom Paul writes his letter.
And Paul sends Onesimus back to Colossae, to his master Philemon. And in his letter to Philemon, our second reading today, Paul requests that Onesimus be received not as a slave but as a brother in the Lord, to welcome him as he would welcome Paul himself. Do not brand him as a fugitivus, for in baptism, Onesimus has received the indelible mark of salvation through Christ. And we have every reason to believe that Philemon did as Paul asked.
Now, St. Paul knew that what he was asking from Philemon was counter-cultural. Slavery was an institution in the Roman Empire, there were something like 60 million slaves—from different parts of the world which Rome had conquered: asia minor and the middle east, north Africa, spain and Portugal, gaul, and northern europe.
But Paul had great reason to believe that Philemon would adhere to his request. Philemon was a true Christian. Paul at the beginning of the letter calls Philemon his brother, his coworker in the vineyard. Philemon was a leader in the church of Colossae—a true source of refreshment and encouragement for the other Christians there, as he acknowledges in his letter. Philemon was one of the good guys.
But this request, this third shortest new testament letter, highlights for us just what it means to be a Christian. The letter to Philemon shows how Christians who have been freed from sin and forgiven by Christ must free and forgive others. Christian Love goes far beyond justice. The law of the world said Onesimus should be branded, even killed. The new law demanded forgiveness from his brother.
In the eyes of God, we are all Onesimus, freedom from sin by God through Christ. Like Philemon we are to receive our Christian brothers and sisters, even those who have sinned against us, with mercy.
This reading certainly challenges us to examine our hearts sincerely, thoroughly, and honestly, to see what grudges we still hold and what prejudices we bear.
Is there an individual in our life that we are not treating as a brother, but as a slave, or as an enemy? Christ died for that person. Is there a whole group of people that we resent, that makes us mad just to think about? Christ died for them too.
These barriers of resentment, anger, and prejudice are like giant weeds growing in the garden of our souls. They steal the nutrients that are meant to feed virtues like wisdom, courage, and generosity - the kind of virtues that produce interior peace and lasting happiness.
Resentment, anger, and unforgiveness grow around our hearts like vines grow around trees - sucking the Christian life out of us, to the point where we begin to justify gossiping, criticizing, and destructive attitudes of division that make this world such a valley of sorrows.
We plead to God for forgiveness for ourselves, but Christ teaches that we too must forgive others. “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us” we plead in the Lord’s prayer. The measure of our forgiveness is the measure we receive it.
In Christ, all the false divisions among people dissolve, and we are made into one family. Sin divides the world, leading to war, racism, prejudice, and injustice. But Christ came to heal the wounds of sin and division.
Forgiveness, it might feel painful to forgive. It might feel like a cross. But in the Gospel today, the Lord teaches that “Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.” So we must practice forgiveness.
It is difficult to forgive those who betray us—who offend, who harm us with their words and actions. To forgive may feel like we are giving them a free pass. When we are hurt or betrayed, there is a part of us that says, “I don’t want to talk to them, I don’t want to see them, I don’t want to be near them, I don’t even want to think about them.” But that part of us needs to be flooded with mercy.
A Christian must never say, “I will never forgive you.”
Don’t leave Church today without having decided that you will welcome the Onesimuses in your lives as brothers. Ask Jesus to give you a heart like his, a heart like Paul's, to welcome the fugitive—to make your peace with those who have wronged you. I can think of few things that would please our Lord more than that...for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
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