The Letter to Philemon is St Paul's shortest letter, with only 25 verses. It is also among the most personal writings in the Bible, with St Paul pleading for clemency toward Onesimus, the run-away slave who stole from his master and fled to Rome where he was converted and baptized by St Paul.
We consider how the Christian life means making real sacrifices and setting right things in our life -- Onesimus had to set things right with Philemon, even though it meant risking not only being made a slave again but even the possible punishment of death. Philemon had to set aside worldly possessions and forgive Onesimus even though that meant a significant financial loss.
There are some in the Church, even in the Vatican, who want to set aside this call to conversion, but this is the demand of Christ -- Those who are in invalid marriages must set things right (even if this means separating) in order to be authentic Christians, those who have defrauded people or who have business practices that are immoral must change and repay those of whom they have taken advantage, couples need to accept the plan of God for marriage and family rejecting contraception, etc.
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