Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul, Apostle
Biographical Information about St. Paul
Readings for the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul
Commentary:
Reading 1 Acts 22:3-16
This is the second account given in Acts of Paul’s conversion experience. In this account Paul himself recalls his role in the Hebrew Temple as an enforcer. The reason related for his trip to Damascus was the persecution of Christians whom he was to return to Jerusalem in Chains.
By this miraculous event, Saul who is renamed to Paul, becomes a witness to the resurrected Christ and an Apostle as a consequence.
Or Acts 9:1-22
This selection is the first the three accounts of Paul’s conversion. In this passage we are given more details about the events leading up to Saul’s actual experience adding the mind set of Ananias and his fear of approaching Saul because of is reputation. We are also given a little Hebrew numerology as we hear that Saul neither ate nor drank for three days, the same period Jesus was in the Tomb, prior to his conversion.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 117:1bc, 2
R. Go out to all the world, and tell the Good News.
We are given a song of rejoicing and praise for God’s unfailing love for us.
Gospel Mk 16:15-18
In this passage we are given St. Mark’s version of Jesus’ final commissioning of the Apostles. This Gospel account is the final recorded meeting between Jesus and the Apostles. Given to us as it is, on the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul, it is important because it supports the mission Paul is given in his time of conversion; “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.” This mission was shared by Paul.
Homily:
On this Feast of Paul’s Conversion we ask ourselves a question. Why are we celebrating this event and what relevance does it have for me?
Yes, it was a spectacular intervention by Jesus and the Holy Spirit into the life of the Church. Saul, who is Paul, was given the task of taking the Way, as it was called by the early Christians, to the Gentiles. Without his acceptance of that mission we know the name of Christ would have taken much longer to reach the known world.
It does show us once more the mystery of God’s plan. The Lord could have taken any of his existing converts and assigned that task to them. Yet, instead he picks not just any member of the Pharisaic Community, but one of the most zealous, prone to violence against the early converts. In addition to his stated purpose for the mission to Damascus of bringing those who had come to believe in Christ (people he called heretics and blasphemers) back in chains to face the Sanhedrin, Paul is thought to be the same Saul that authorized the stoning of our first martyr, the Deacon, St. Stephen. No, the Lord did not pick and easy target, he chose a passionate person who was misguided.
Biographical Information about St. Paul
Readings for the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul
Commentary:
Reading 1 Acts 22:3-16
This is the second account given in Acts of Paul’s conversion experience. In this account Paul himself recalls his role in the Hebrew Temple as an enforcer. The reason related for his trip to Damascus was the persecution of Christians whom he was to return to Jerusalem in Chains.
By this miraculous event, Saul who is renamed to Paul, becomes a witness to the resurrected Christ and an Apostle as a consequence.
Or Acts 9:1-22
This selection is the first the three accounts of Paul’s conversion. In this passage we are given more details about the events leading up to Saul’s actual experience adding the mind set of Ananias and his fear of approaching Saul because of is reputation. We are also given a little Hebrew numerology as we hear that Saul neither ate nor drank for three days, the same period Jesus was in the Tomb, prior to his conversion.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 117:1bc, 2
R. Go out to all the world, and tell the Good News.
We are given a song of rejoicing and praise for God’s unfailing love for us.
Gospel Mk 16:15-18
In this passage we are given St. Mark’s version of Jesus’ final commissioning of the Apostles. This Gospel account is the final recorded meeting between Jesus and the Apostles. Given to us as it is, on the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul, it is important because it supports the mission Paul is given in his time of conversion; “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.” This mission was shared by Paul.
Homily:
On this Feast of Paul’s Conversion we ask ourselves a question. Why are we celebrating this event and what relevance does it have for me?
Yes, it was a spectacular intervention by Jesus and the Holy Spirit into the life of the Church. Saul, who is Paul, was given the task of taking the Way, as it was called by the early Christians, to the Gentiles. Without his acceptance of that mission we know the name of Christ would have taken much longer to reach the known world.
It does show us once more the mystery of God’s plan. The Lord could have taken any of his existing converts and assigned that task to them. Yet, instead he picks not just any member of the Pharisaic Community, but one of the most zealous, prone to violence against the early converts. In addition to his stated purpose for the mission to Damascus of bringing those who had come to believe in Christ (people he called heretics and blasphemers) back in chains to face the Sanhedrin, Paul is thought to be the same Saul that authorized the stoning of our first martyr, the Deacon, St. Stephen. No, the Lord did not pick and easy target, he chose a passionate person who was misguided.
Jesus looked into Saul’s heart and saw there the overwhelming desire to do God’s will. Paul admits in the account from Acts that he was trained in Mosaic Law (“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”) All the Lord needed to do to gain an effective servant was to give Saul that last piece of understanding, that the very person Saul was persecuting was the Son of the God he served.
We have answered the first part of our question; why do we celebrate this conversion event? But what is its relevance for us? We see in Saul, to some degree ourselves. We see in Paul what we wish to become. Part of us is always fighting the Lord. It is easier not to love one another, to allow our natural selves be guided by the evil one on a course that leads to our destruction.
We see in Paul, through his conversion, how that conflict should be resolved. We see in Paul’s example of zealous love for the Lord, the way we should be. And there we have it. Paul’s conversion should be echoed by our conversion. We pray today that our eyes might be as completely opened as were Paul’s at that we too might become the Way for others to follow.
Pax
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