The Radical choice to be a Reign person

WORD 2day: Thursday, 32nd week in Ordinary time

November 10, 2022: Philemon 7-20; Luke 17: 20-25

Paul does not request or exhort Philemon to forgive and accept Onesimus. He almost commands and takes for granted that it is done. This is because forgiveness, love and union of hearts are no more options to choose from, for a Christian disciple. They are to be the very way of life, because the Reign of God is amidst us.

Again, the question is not whether the Reign of God should come or not; nor whether Reign of God is important or not... the fact is that the Reign of God is here, right now, right here... the only choice that I have is either to belong to it or not. To be a Reign person or not, that is a radical choice. That choice shall determine the entire quality of my life, as a Christ-ian.

Misunderstandings between husband and wife in the family, misgivings between the families, stand-offs between friends sometimes, bitter experiences of past that still continue to govern our present – nothing of these can give me an excuse to remain stubborn, within my protective shell or to refuse to build communion. That would be considered an anomaly for a true Christian. 

There is no more a sense of magnanimity in forgiving... it is after all what I am expected to do, the normal way of being... because the Reign of God is within me and I cannot but act with the mind of Christ. In short, there is no choice... I am either a Reign-person or an anti-Reign person... the choice is mine and the choice is radical.