Pentecost +15 Sunday – C3

Pentecost +15 Sunday – C3

Years C
Philemon 1:1-21

Ahh, the temptation to command another. And, oh how difficult to appeal through love.

As we look back on slavery we are able to wonder how much sooner it might have been overcome had someone in the Bible had given us a clearer word than periodic emancipation and so many examples of folks freed who then enslaved others.

What we are not able to see is our own blindspots that later generations will look back on and wonder why there wasn't much made of our equivalents of slavery. As we do the long slog of finally resolving the discrimination we have imposed upon different sexual orientations, as though gender/partner preference were the most significant quality of a person, the question arises as to what the next great issue will be. Will we cycle back through some of the old ones? Will it be another round of crusades? Another allowance of tribal genocides?

May our hearts be refreshed enough to clearly see who is being kept down for no good reason and stand with them.

= = = = = = =

I've been waiting so long
for you to do the right thing
my patience has been extended
beyond my comfort level
in order that you might
voluntarily do good to another

in such I have been complicit
in your evil ways
aided and abetted
your delusion of hierarchy
let you get away with
enslaving our kinfolk

how might we partner
we three so different
and so connected
when will we set aside
our givens and assumptions
to set each other free