January 25, 2019 Friday, Conversion of St. Paul
1st Reading: Acts 22:3–16 (or Acts 9:1–22)
Gospel: Mk 16:15–18
Jesus told his disciples, “Go out to the whole world and proclaim the Good News to all creation. The one who believes and is baptized will be saved; the one who refuses to believe will be condemned. Signs like these will accompany those who have believed: in my Name they will cast out demons and speak new languages; they will pick up snakes and, if they drink anything poisonous, they will be unharmed. They will lay their hands on the sick and they will be healed.”
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)
On the Feast of the conversion of St. Paul today, let us talk about conversion. The essence of conversion is change for the better. St. Paul’s change was a “180-degree” turn – a complete shift from being a tormentor of Christians to a staunch defender of the faith. St. Paul’s horse was important to his story. It was the symbol of his power. Indeed he was powerful. The Gospel tells us that he derived authority from no less than the Sanhedrin to arrest the Christians of Damascus and to bring them to Jerusalem for appropriate punishment. But as he was nearing Damascus, light struck him and threw him out from his horse. Then he heard a voice saying, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’ (Acts 9:4-6).
The falling off from the horse was significant. He had to fall off from the power that gave him a sense of security so that in powerlessness he might feel the need for God. His subsequent blindness was significant too. After that disturbing question “Why are you persecuting me?” Paul had to be blind so he could focus on his interiority and search his soul for some answers. He had to be blind so that his old way of seeing things may give way to a new perspective – a Christian way of looking at things. He himself later testified: “It is no longer I who lives but Christ living in me.” His change of name from Saul to Paul was a fitting climax to the process of his conversion.
Learning from the story of St. Paul let us not be afraid of human fall. Are you helpless and downtrodden? Be glad that all the temporary powers that used to secure you are gone. Without them God’s power can now truly work in you. Has everything around you turned dark? Perhaps like St. Paul who became blind, you need that experience of darkness to suspend your sight so that you may receive the grace of new perspective and begin seeing things in the light of Christ. Do not resist but open your heart to God’s invitation to conversion. Give it a “180-degree” turn. – (Atty.) Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., D.M. Email: dan.delosangeles@gmail.com.
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