MONTHLY DEVOTIONAL FOR 16 FEBRUARY
February 16, 2026
FEAST OF THE HOLY FACE OF JESUS CELEBRATED ON SHROVE TUESDAY
February 17, 2026
NO PAST IS BEYOND REDEMPTION
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come.”
— 2 Corinthians 5:17
Onesimus began as one who stumbled and ran from responsibility, yet his story reveals that God does not discard broken beginnings. Divine mercy transforms mistakes into testimonies of grace. The past may shape a person, but in God’s hands, it never has the final word. Grace gathers what was lost and turns it toward purpose and healing.
ENCOUNTER WITH CHRIST RENEWS IDENTITY
“For in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith.”
— Galatians 3:26
Through his meeting with Paul, Onesimus encountered the living message of Christ. This moment of faith reshaped his identity from a runaway servant into a beloved child of God. Genuine Christian witness carries the power to awaken faith and draw hearts toward transformation. One sincere encounter rooted in love and truth can redirect the course of an entire life.
FREEDOM BEGINS IN THE HEART
“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
— John 8:36
Before society could change his status, Onesimus experienced a deeper liberation through Christ. Spiritual freedom frees the soul from fear, shame, and bondage long before external circumstances shift. The Gospel reveals that true liberty is not granted by human systems but by surrender to Christ’s saving love.
RECONCILIATION COMPLETES TRANSFORMATION
“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”
— Ephesians 4:32
Paul encouraged Onesimus to return and confront the relationships he had abandoned. Conversion reaches fullness when hearts seek restoration and forgiveness. Courageous reconciliation repairs wounds and opens doors to lasting peace. God often calls His children to revisit painful places so that grace may complete its healing work.
BROTHERHOOD IN CHRIST RESTORES HUMAN DIGNITY
“There is neither slave nor free, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
— Galatians 3:28
Through Christ, the relationship between Onesimus and his master was transformed into spiritual brotherhood. The Gospel breaks barriers built by status, rank, and division. Love rooted in Christ restores dignity and unites people as members of one family, revealing the radical equality born from divine love.
GOD WORKS POWERFULLLY THROUGH HUMBLE LIVES
“God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are.”
— 1 Corinthians 1:28
Though mentioned only briefly in Scripture, Onesimus remains a lasting witness to God’s ability to use hidden and overlooked lives. The Lord delights in working through quiet faithfulness and humble surrender. No life offered to God remains insignificant, for He magnifies small offerings into eternal impact.
PRAYER THROUGH THE INTERCESSION OF ST. ONESIMUS
O Saint Onesimus, once lost and searching, yet renewed through the mercy of Christ, you discovered healing through faith and reconciliation with those you once fled.
Intercede for us when memories of our failures weigh heavily upon our hearts, when fear prevents us from seeking forgiveness, and when pride blocks the path toward restoration.
Teach us to welcome others with compassion and humility, to trust deeply in the mercy of God, and to walk courageously in the freedom that Christ alone can give.
Saint Onesimus, faithful witness of grace and reconciliation, pray for us. Amen.
