1/26/2016

Conversion of St. Paul | Saint of the Day | AmericanCatholic.org

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SaintoftheDay|ByName|ByDate|PatronSaints|FAQ

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SAINTOFTHEDAY
Catholicsaintsareholypeopleandhumanpeoplewholivedextraordinarylives.Eachsaint
theChurchhonorsrespondedtoGod'sinvitationtousehisorheruniquegifts.Godcallseach
oneofustobeasaint.ClickheretoreceiveSaintoftheDayinyouremail.
January25

ConversionofSt.Paul
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PaulsentirelifecanbeexplainedintermsofoneexperiencehismeetingwithJesus
ontheroadtoDamascus.Inaninstant,hesawthatallthezealofhisdynamic
personalitywasbeingwasted,likethestrengthofaboxerswingingwildly.Perhapshe
hadneverseenJesus,whowasonlyafewyearsolder.Buthehadacquiredazealotshatredof
allJesusstoodfor,ashebegantoharasstheChurch:...enteringhouseafterhouseand
draggingoutmenandwomen,hehandedthemoverforimprisonment(Acts8:3b).Nowhe
himselfwasentered,possessed,allhisenergyharnessedtoonegoalbeingaslaveofChrist
intheministryofreconciliation,aninstrumenttohelpothersexperiencetheoneSavior.
Onesentencedeterminedhistheology:IamJesus,whomyouarepersecuting(Acts9:5b).
JesuswasmysteriouslyidentifiedwithpeoplethelovinggroupofpeopleSaulhadbeen
runningdownlikecriminals.Jesus,hesaw,wasthemysteriousfulfillmentofallhehadbeen
blindlypursuing.
Fromthenon,hisonlyworkwastopresenteveryoneperfectinChrist.ForthisIlaborand
struggle,inaccordwiththeexerciseofhispowerworkingwithinme(Colossians1:28b29).
Forourgospeldidnotcometoyouinwordalone,butalsoinpowerandintheHolySpiritand
[with]muchconviction(1Thessalonians1:5a).
Paulslifebecameatirelessproclaimingandlivingoutofthemessageofthecross:Christians
diebaptismallytosinandareburiedwithChristtheyaredeadtoallthatissinfuland
unredeemedintheworld.Theyaremadeintoanewcreation,alreadysharingChristsvictory
andsomedaytorisefromthedeadlikehim.ThroughthisrisenChristtheFatherpoursoutthe
Spiritonthem,makingthemcompletelynew.
SoPaulsgreatmessagetotheworldwas:YouaresavedentirelybyGod,notbyanythingyou
cando.Savingfaithisthegiftoftotal,free,personalandlovingcommitmenttoChrist,a
commitmentthatthenbearsfruitinmoreworksthantheLawcouldevercontemplate.

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Conversion of St. Paul | Saint of the Day | AmericanCatholic.org

Comment:
Paulisundoubtedlyhardtounderstand.Hisstyleoftenreflectstherabbinicalstyleofargument
ofhisday,andoftenhisthoughtskipsonmountaintopswhileweplodbelow.Butperhapsour
problemsareaccentuatedbythefactthatsomanybeautifuljewelshavebecomepartofthe
everydaycoininourChristianlanguage(seequote,below).

Quote:
Loveispatient,loveiskind.Itisnotjealous,[love]isnotpompous,itisnotinflated,itisnot
rude,itdoesnotseekitsowninterests,itisnotquicktempered,itdoesnotbroodoverinjury,it
doesnotrejoiceoverwrongdoingbutrejoiceswiththetruth.Itbearsallthings,believesall
things,hopesallthings,enduresallthings(1Corinthians13:47).

MONDAY,JANUARY25,2016
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1/24/2016

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1/26/2016

SaintoftheDay
Lives,LessonsandFeast
ByLeonardFoley,O.F.M.revisedbyPatMcCloskey,O.F.M.

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