From persecuting to embracing faith in Christ
Mark 16:15-18. January 25, 2023 - Wednesday.
Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul, Apostle
Today the Church celebrates the conversion of St. Paul. We have talked many times about the meaning of conversion. It is a u-turn in life that embraces a new way of thinking. In the case of Paul that u-turn took him from being a Pharisee to a follower of Christ, from a persecutor of the Church to a preacher of the Gospel. And his new way of thinking manifested itself in the fact that what he once rejected, he later wholeheartedly embraced. He came to believe that Jesus of Nazareth was indeed the long-awaited Jewish messiah.
The story of Paul’s conversion is told three times in the Acts of the apostles: once by Luke, the author of the Acts, and twice by Paul. Few things strike me in these accounts. First, the words of Jesus: ‘why are persecuting me’. Jesus did not say, ‘why are persecuting them’, which seems to fit better the historical reality. After all, Paul was persecuting Christians and not Christ. So why did Jesus ask: ‘why are persecuting me’? To make Paul realize the truth of Christ’s deep unity with his followers. The conclusion that we draw from this question is clear: anyone who harms us harms Christ.
Second, the presence of Ananias. Even such a great apostle as Paul, who considered himself blameless according to the law of Moses could not be saved without the sacrament of baptism. But to be baptized, Paul needed a Christian community that could administer this sacrament. Paul could not baptise himself and so enters Ananias, the faithful servant of Christ. He appears only once in the entire story of the Acts of the Apostles but he appears in the most crucial moment of Paul’s life. Moreover, Ananias does not reprimand Paul for his past sins. Instead, he embraces him as a brother.
Finally, in the last account of Paul’s conversion, Acts chapter 26, Jesus spells out the aim of evangelization. Why was Paul preaching the gospel? Why does the Church continue to proclaim the gospel? Why should we share the message of the gospel with the world? Because the gospel opens our eyes and turns us from darkness to light, from the power of Satan to God. The Gospel brings forgiveness of sins and places us among those who are sanctified by faith in Jesus Christ.
Realizing the life-transforming power of the Gospel, we are not surprised that Jesus commands us to go to the whole world and preach the Good News. Paul took this command seriously and fulfilled it to his utmost ability. How about us?