Philemon 7-20 / Luke 17:20-25
The phrase "man is made to be on the move" means that human beings have a natural, built-in inclination or biological drive to stay active, travel, explore, or continuously progress rather than remain static or sedentary.
Staying completely still or inactive for too long often goes against our physical well-being.
People often feel restless, mentally drained, or stagnant when they are stuck in one place or routine for too long.
On the other hand, we also can get too busy and all stressed up.
But we may prefer to be busy and stressed because we may not be comfortable with silence and stillness.
In the gospel, when Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was to come, He gave them this answer, “The coming of the kingdom of God does not admit of observation and there will be no one to say, “Look here! Look there!” For, you must know, the kingdom of God is among you.”
In order to be able to be aware and see the signs of the Kingdom of God, we need to be still and to be silent.
To be silent is also to listen, to listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and to see what God is showing us and do what He want of us.
In the first reading, St. Paul urges Philemon to see Onesimus not as a useless slave but a dear brother in the Lord.
That can be possible when noises in the mind and heart are cleared by silence and stillness.
Let us also take time away from the noisiness and busyness to be in prayer.
In the stillness and silence of prayer, may we also see the Kingdom of God in us and around us.