The letter of Paul to Philemon was a private note, written by an old man in prison to an old friend. It does not contain any explanation of doctrine, nor does it deal with common Church problems. Yet this letter has been included in the canon of the Bible, and it is from this letter that our First Reading of today is extracted.

Why? Perhaps because it is an example of the stream of correspondence between Paul and his wide circle of fellow-workers and friends. Again, it could be because the letter shows another facet of Paul, a Paul who was most tactful and pleasant, and it showed him caring with great kindness for one who was one of life's victims in the same way as Jesus always did. Onesimus had repented, converted to Christianity and served Christ well, but was still legally a thief and a runaway slave. So Paul made sure that he could make his peace with his master, Philemon, and take his punishment as well. This letter gives us a wonderful example of the gospel of reconciliation in practice.

Through their common allegiance in Christ, three individuals who seemed to have little in common - Paul, an ex-Jewish rabbi, Philemon, a wealthy Gentile, and Onesimus, a runaway, thieving slave - developed a new relationship as God's adopted sons for whom Christ had died. Onesimus, in fact, developed so far as to become Bishop of Ephesus, we are told by Ignatius of Antioch, and may have been responsible for the inclusion of this letter in the canon.