A large section of the New Testament is made up of the letters of St. Paul, arranged in order of length, from the longest to the shortest. The influence St. Paul has had upon Christianity has been profound. The earliest writings of the New Testament were written by St. Paul. He established a large number of Christian communities throughout Greece and Asia Minor (modern Turkey) and it would seem that it was largely as a result of his impetus that Christianity became a movement for Gentiles, not just for Jews.
Ironically, St. Paul began his career as one who utterly detested Christianity. The first mention made of St. Paul in the Acts of the Apostles tells the reader that Saul (Paul's name before conversion) fully approved of the stoning to death of the first martyr, Stephen. Saul's conversion took place on the road to Damascus, when he was en route to arrest followers of Jesus. He was thrown off his horse when he saw a blinding light. The voice of Jesus then asked Saul, "Why are you persecuting me?"
The feast of the Conversion of St. Paul is a reminder to all of us that none of us were born Christians. Some people undergo a process of conversion as adults; most in countries such as Australia are baptised as infants. For the latter, though, there comes a time in their life when they must consciously appropriate the faith they have received for themselves. All of us, like Paul, are in need of God's mercy and grace.
Whilst a conversion, appropriation or renewal of faith may, like St. Paul's, be sparked by a dramatic, direct, intervention/apparition of God, for most people, it is a more gradual process, in which Jesus uses what are seemingly ordinary, unrelated events of life to bring people to Himself. Many people who have converted to Christianity will argue that their process of conversion took a number of years, in some cases as many as 20 years. The ordinary, chance events may include marrying a person with a strong faith, a birth of a child, a death, reading a piece of Christian literature and meeting a Christian whose example has a positive outcome impact on others.
Similarly, many people are inclined to think that following Jesus is a lucky charm against disaster: when something unpleasant happens in their lives, they question the veracity of Christianity. One of the most moving passages in Paul's writings is in his Second Letter to the Church in Corinth, chapters 11 and 12. In this passage, Paul talks of extraordinary spiritual experiences he received. However, this is preceded by a list of hardships he has endured on account of spreading the Gospel: imprisonment; whippings; stonings and shipwrecks. St. Paul also counterbalances the spiritual experience he relates by talking about a "thorn of Satan" he has had to endure. Whilst Scripture scholars debate what this "thorn of Satan" may be (a personality trait?). Whatever it was, Paul found it to be an encumbrance. In prayer, the lesson he was to learn was that he was stuck with it and could endure it as "[God's] grace is sufficient for you; for power is at full stretch in weakness". (2 Cor. 12: 9). That is to say, no matter how difficult life may be, God is always with us; our way of seeking a solution to a problem, however, may not be God's way.
The feast of the Conversion of St. Paul is a reminder that the Church's central task is bringing people to a knowledge and love of Jesus. Contrary to popular opinion, all Christians have a role in proclaiming Christ to others. For some, this will be as priests and religious; however, for the vast bulk of Christians, this will be as laypeople living out their Christian lives in the world. In their lives, they will encounter many non Christians or lapsed Christians, some of whom are deeply searching for some meaning for their lives. Much of the media and a sizeable proportion of popular opinion would have us believe that Christianity is bad news. It has been said that "actions speak louder than words". It has also been said "by their deeds you will know them". Do those of us who believe and practice our religion reflect, by our words and actions, that Christianity is indeed good news?
Ironically, St. Paul began his career as one who utterly detested Christianity. The first mention made of St. Paul in the Acts of the Apostles tells the reader that Saul (Paul's name before conversion) fully approved of the stoning to death of the first martyr, Stephen. Saul's conversion took place on the road to Damascus, when he was en route to arrest followers of Jesus. He was thrown off his horse when he saw a blinding light. The voice of Jesus then asked Saul, "Why are you persecuting me?"
The feast of the Conversion of St. Paul is a reminder to all of us that none of us were born Christians. Some people undergo a process of conversion as adults; most in countries such as Australia are baptised as infants. For the latter, though, there comes a time in their life when they must consciously appropriate the faith they have received for themselves. All of us, like Paul, are in need of God's mercy and grace.
Whilst a conversion, appropriation or renewal of faith may, like St. Paul's, be sparked by a dramatic, direct, intervention/apparition of God, for most people, it is a more gradual process, in which Jesus uses what are seemingly ordinary, unrelated events of life to bring people to Himself. Many people who have converted to Christianity will argue that their process of conversion took a number of years, in some cases as many as 20 years. The ordinary, chance events may include marrying a person with a strong faith, a birth of a child, a death, reading a piece of Christian literature and meeting a Christian whose example has a positive outcome impact on others.
Similarly, many people are inclined to think that following Jesus is a lucky charm against disaster: when something unpleasant happens in their lives, they question the veracity of Christianity. One of the most moving passages in Paul's writings is in his Second Letter to the Church in Corinth, chapters 11 and 12. In this passage, Paul talks of extraordinary spiritual experiences he received. However, this is preceded by a list of hardships he has endured on account of spreading the Gospel: imprisonment; whippings; stonings and shipwrecks. St. Paul also counterbalances the spiritual experience he relates by talking about a "thorn of Satan" he has had to endure. Whilst Scripture scholars debate what this "thorn of Satan" may be (a personality trait?). Whatever it was, Paul found it to be an encumbrance. In prayer, the lesson he was to learn was that he was stuck with it and could endure it as "[God's] grace is sufficient for you; for power is at full stretch in weakness". (2 Cor. 12: 9). That is to say, no matter how difficult life may be, God is always with us; our way of seeking a solution to a problem, however, may not be God's way.
The feast of the Conversion of St. Paul is a reminder that the Church's central task is bringing people to a knowledge and love of Jesus. Contrary to popular opinion, all Christians have a role in proclaiming Christ to others. For some, this will be as priests and religious; however, for the vast bulk of Christians, this will be as laypeople living out their Christian lives in the world. In their lives, they will encounter many non Christians or lapsed Christians, some of whom are deeply searching for some meaning for their lives. Much of the media and a sizeable proportion of popular opinion would have us believe that Christianity is bad news. It has been said that "actions speak louder than words". It has also been said "by their deeds you will know them". Do those of us who believe and practice our religion reflect, by our words and actions, that Christianity is indeed good news?
© Reprinted by permission of Michael Daniel 2000