Scripture Notes: Remember My Chains (Colossians 4)

At the end of his Letter to the Colossians, St. Paul tells his audience, “Remember my chains.” He is indeed in prison. His preaching of the Gospel has brought him to the attention of the Romans, who are more than suspicious of anyone who dares to proclaim a king and a lord other than Caesar, and that is exactly what Paul insists upon. Jesus Christ is King and Lord. 

Paul’s reminder to the Colossians comes from his desire for them to realize that they will face persecution for their Christian faith, but he also wants them to support each other in this and in all trials. We must remember each other’s chains. We all have struggles. We all have chains that bind us, fears, worries, doubts, temptations, sins, relationship issues, health problems, emotional difficulties. Most of the time we cannot see these in other people, and sometimes we do not even fully recognize them in ourselves. 

So we should be mindful that when people act strangely or seem unfriendly or detached, they might be feeling their own chains tightening around them. We may not approve of their behavior, but we should at least remember their chains, for we have our own chains that sometimes affect how we respond to others. So we must always recall and apply St. Paul’s admonition, “Remember my chains.”