The Conversion of Saint Paul
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The Conversion of Saint Paul
The Mercy of God
Today, we celebrate not just the
conversion of Saint Paul, but more importantly, the mercy of God. God called a
man who was filled with zeal and anger—anger that blinded him from seeing his
mistakes.
A
Righteous Man Who Was Blind
Saint Paul believed that he was
righteous, but in reality, he was a sinner. We hear in Scripture that during
the death of the first martyr, Stephen, Paul was there, approving of his
execution.
A
Sign of Hope for All
Saint Paul’s conversion is a sign
of hope for all of us. No matter how far we have fallen, if we listen to God’s
voice and repent, His mercy is greater. As Saint Paul says, "Where
sin abounded, grace abounded much more" (Romans 5:20).
Saint
Paul's Humility and Grace
In 1 Corinthians 15:8-10, Saint
Paul humbly writes:
"Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am
the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I
persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God, I am what I am, and His
grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of
them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me."
Hope
for the Church Today
His conversion is also a message of
hope for the Church. Today, Christians around the world face great
persecution—not only in non-Christian countries but even in so-called Christian
countries. Many Christians are imprisoned for their faith. Just last week, 23
pro-life activists were released from prison.
The
Power of Prayer in Persecution
The Church has always faced
persecution. But as Christians, our best weapon is prayer. When Stephen was
being stoned, he prayed for those who were killing him. Among them was Saint
Paul. While they insulted and murdered him, Stephen’s prayers were a weapon.
His suffering, offered up in prayer, was what God used to touch the heart of
Saint Paul.
A
Call to Pray for Our Opponents
Let us learn today to trust in
God’s mercy and pray for those who oppose the Church and its message. God will
find among them new converts who will become living witnesses of His mercy
working in us.