My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children forever.
Thursday of the Thirty-second week in Ordinary Time
Letter to Philemon 1,7-20.
Beloved, I have experienced much joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the holy ones have been refreshed by you, brother.
Therefore, although I have... the full right in Christ to order you to do what is proper,
I rather urge you out of love, being as I am, Paul, an old man, and now also a prisoner for Christ Jesus.
I urge you on behalf of my child Onesimus, whose father I have become in my imprisonment,
who was once useless to you but is now useful to (both) you and me.
I am sending him, that is, my own heart, back to you.
I should have liked to retain him for myself, so that he might serve me on your behalf in my imprisonment for the gospel,
but I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that the good you do might not be forced but voluntary.
Perhaps this is why he was away from you for a while, that you might have him back forever,
no longer as a slave but more than a slave, a brother, beloved especially to me, but even more so to you, as a man and in the Lord.
So if you regard me as a partner, welcome him as you would me.
And if he has done you any injustice or owes you anything, charge it to me.
I, Paul, write this in my own hand: I will pay. May I not tell you that you owe me your very self.
Yes, brother, may I profit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ.