Focusing on Life here and now

Philm. 1:7-20, Lk. 17:20-25. Demonstrating the universal scope of our faith, St Paul in today's first reading pleads with Philemon to take Onesimus as his brother in the 'Faith'. Philemon was a Christian of Colossae who had a runaway slave by the name, Onesimus, whom Paul had met and converted in a Roman prison. For a time, this slave was useless to his master since he had runaway. After Onesimus' encounter with Christ, he lived to the true meaning of the name 'Useful'. Today, we are challenged to live to the true meaning of our name and faith.

Today's Gospel tells us that only those whose lives expresses God's love will enjoy the reign of God and will definitely have a continuation of the reign of God in eternity. The reign of God lives within us and transforms our hearts. When the Pharisees pose the question about the future coming of the Kingdom, Jesus tells them that it was already among them. This is to say that obsession with afterlife does not help to live fully the life we have here and now. While as Christians we do believe in the life to come, we are also instructed that the life to come will not be totally different, but a life that will continue in a fuller way like the present one we have. Our focus therefore, ought to be on living this life fully at every moment of our life. Instead of focusing so much on afterlife, let us focus more on life here and now.

May the Lord help us to live to the true meaning of our faith! Amen!! Good morning and have a great day!!!