Solemnity of the Conversion of Paul, Apostle

NOT NOW

“For you will be his witness before all to what you have seen and heard. Now, why delay?” – Acts 22:15-16

There’s someone I know — let’s call him Dax — whom I invited to join my former Catholic community. For a while, he gladly listened to the talks and even participated in the activities.

One day, Dax stopped attending. He reasoned that although he saw and believed that God changes lives, he wasn’t ready for his own turnaround.

“I want to live the good life first,” said Dax. “I’m not ready to be a saint.”

Many people like Dax think that it’s no fun to have God in their lives. They equate uprightness with boredom, and think that the so-called “good life” has more adventure. What they forget, however, is that no man lives forever, and that all of us may die at any time.

As God’s witnesses, He calls us to be holy — to preach the Good News with our lives. It’s tough, I know. But don’t we always say that life is short? If it takes only a short lifetime to reach that state of holiness, then we better start the journey early. Why delay? Nova Arias-Sevilla (nova.svp@gmail.com)

Reflection: Why choose to live the good life when you can have the best life in the company of God?

Lord God, grant me the courage to lead others to You… now.

St. Peter Thomas, pray for us.

1^ST READING

Paul’s conversion is a watershed in the life of the Early Church. Not only does it mean that one of the major persecutors of the faithful is gone; he, in fact, is not gone but now on the side of the Church. Think of the credibility this gives to his proclamation of the Gospel to those who knew him as a persecutor. Also, it demonstrates very strongly the power of the Gospel to change the life of an individual, even someone who is originally opposed to a particular set of beliefs.

Acts 22:3-16 (or Acts 9:1-22)

3 Paul addressed the people in these words: “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city. At the feet of Gamaliel I was educated strictly in our ancestral law and was zealous for God, just as all of you are today. 4 I persecuted this way to death, binding both men and women and delivering them to prison. 5 Even the high priest and the whole council of elders can testify on my behalf. For from them I even received letters to the brothers and set out for Damascus to bring back to Jerusalem in chains for punishment those there as well. 6 “On that journey as I drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from the sky suddenly shone around me. 7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ 8 I replied, ‘Who are you, sir?’ And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus the Nazorean whom you are persecuting.’ 9 My companions saw the light but did not hear the voice of the one who spoke to me. 10 I asked, ‘What shall I do, sir?’ The Lord answered me, ‘Get up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told about everything appointed for you to do.’ 11 Since I could see nothing because of the brightness of that light, I was led by hand by my companions and entered Damascus. 12 A certain Ananias, a devout observer of the law, and highly spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, 13 came to me and stood there and said, ‘Saul, my brother, regain your sight.’ And at that very moment I regained my sight and saw him. 14 Then he said, ‘The God of our ancestors designated you to know his will, to see the Righteous One, and to hear the sound of his voice; 15 for you will be his witness before all to what you have seen and heard. 16 Now, why delay? Get up and have yourself baptized and your sins washed away, calling upon his name.’”

R: Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.

1 Praise the Lord, all you nations; glorify him, all you peoples! (R) 2 For steadfast is his kindness toward us, and the fidelity of the Lord endures forever. (R)

Paul, perhaps more than anyone in the life of the Early Church, literally took the Gospel to the ends of the (known) world. Others would later have more extensive travels but this does not diminish the incredible commitment of Paul to the Gospel imperative. I stand in awe of the commitment of those who have literally traveled to the ends of the earth out of a desire to proclaim the Gospel to those who have never heard it, even to the point of developing alphabets in order to translate the Scriptures (like Sts. Cyril and Methodius).

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

I chose you from the world, to go and bear fruit that will last, says the Lord.

15 Jesus appeared to the Eleven and said to them, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. 18 They will pick up serpents with their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

think:  The Gospel of Jesus has the power to change the life of anyone.

Thank You Lord for: ___________________________

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Luke 13-15

One of the great masterpieces of the renowned Italian master Caravaggio is his rendition of the Conversion of St. Paul on the Way to Damascus.

The painting brings to life Saul’s (later to be named Paul) conversion recounted in Chapter 9 of the Acts of the Apostles, when Saul was struck down on the road to Damascus on his way to persecute the Christians.

What is striking in the painting is that Paul, struck down from a mighty horse (though there was no horse in the biblical account), is rendered here as a handsome, strong, sturdy young man, clearly at the peak of his health and career. Caravaggio seems to communicate that young Paul’s life and passion were being used in the wrong way. Confronted by Jesus on his way to persecute the Christians, the same vibrant passion of the young Paul was now to be used to bring Christianity to the ends of the world — a mission for which he will dedicate his life until old age, until the last drop of his blood. Christ gave the young Paul a worthy mission for which he could dedicate his life. Christ also sustained Paul until the end of that mission.

This brought to mind a prayer I encountered early on in my priesthood — a prayer I usually pray on my sacerdotal anniversary. It goes, “God, give me work until my life shall end, and life until my work is done.” Today, as the Church celebrates the Conversion of St. Paul, undoubtedly the greatest missionary in the New Testament times, it might be good to make this prayer yours as well. Fr. Joel Jason

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: To what and for what are you using the vibrancy of your youth? For what are you spending the vigor of your strength?

God, give me work until my life shall end, and life until my work is done. Amen.