Sunday 22 January 2017

THE CONVERSION OF SAINT PAUL, JANUARY 25TH, FEAST

I Reading: Acts 22:3-16
II Reading: 1 Cor 15: 9-11
Gospel: Mark 16:15-18

Today the Church celebrates the feast of the conversion of Saint Paul which has got the great significance in the lives of the Christians. The purpose of this feast is to praise God for his great power and goodness, shown in changing a persecutor of the church into a great apostle. This was the power of God to change the heart of Saul into Paul radically. Thus in this feast we are invited to celebrate our own conversion to faith in Christ. Paul remained faithful follower of Jesus throughout his life; so we should be remaining with Christ.
1.     The life of Paul before his conversion:
a.     Belonged to a devout Jewish family living in a town called Tarsu.
b.    Belonged to a well to do family –middle class
c.      Business-tent making- his father’s trade
d.    Studied under the teacher Gamaliel with a sense of justice and common sense (Acts 5:34-40)
e.      A persecutor to the Christians, witnessed to the stoning of Stephen (Acts 7:58-60)
f.      He had a letter from the leaders of all the synagogues to arrest any christian
2.     His conversion (Acts 22:1-21; 26:10-18; 9:1-22)
3.     The life of Paul after his conversion:
a.     He preached everywhere that Jesus is the Son of God (Acts 9:20): Three things in particular move us on reflecting on Paul’s life after his conversion:
i.                   The amount of suffering he endured in order to fulfil his mission (Acts 9:16)
ii.                 His faithfulness and attachment to Christ (Phil 3:8)
iii.              Paul’s deep humility throughout his life (1cor 15:9; 1Tim 1:5)
4.     Our own conversion: let us examine our own conversion in the light of Paul’s conversion
a.     What conversion should really mean? A radical change in life in Hebrew it is called Shub(U=total turned)
b.    Special time for conversion: all time, during Lent and Advent-Sacrament of Reconciliation
5.     What is needed for our conversion to be sincere and lasting:
a.     We need God’s light
b.    We need humble prayer
c.      We need God’s guidance
d.    We must accept suffering generously

Thought: Paul was never sorry for having given himself completely to Christ; neither shall we. Christ never disappointed any one.

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