Thursday, November 15, 2012
Today’s readings:
Phlm 7-20; Ps 146:7-10; Luke
17:20-25
“He was of no use to you before but he will be
useful to you now” (Philemon 11).
“If you would be interesting, be
interested, if you would be pleased, be pleasing, if you would be loved, be
lovable, if you would be helped, be helpful,” said William Arthur Ward American
dedicated scholar, author, editor, pastor and teacher. In today’s first reading
we have a down-to-earth-example of a person who was helped and he became
helpful. St. Paul wrote to Philemon about Onesimus, “He was of no use to you
before but he will be useful to you now” (Philemon 11). This is a play on the
Onesimus’ name which means: useful, helpful, beneficial or profitable. Onesimus
was not true to his name. He stole something from Philemon and ran away. After
being formed by St. Paul he became true to his name. He became helpful. He was
helped to help. There are many people
who deserve the name Onesimus. Being questioned what his age was, Colonel
Thomas Hart Benton replied, “According to the Calendar my age is seventy-four,
but when anything is to be done I am thirty-five years old, sir!” This man was helpful.
He deserves to be called Onesimus. Clement Hofbauer was on a tour begging for
his poor neglected people. A man, after being asked for alms, spat into the face
of the saint. “That was for me,” the saint replied. “Now do you have something
for the poor?” The man who spat into the face of the saint was not Onesmus or
Helpful.
