Monday, January 24, 2011

25-01-11, Tuesday, The Conversion of St. Paul

Acts 22:3-16/ Mark 16:15-18

Life, as we know, is a never-ending process of learning.

Not just of learning but also of discovery.

In that learning and discovery process, we also grow and we change.

Hence some of the principles and convictions that we had before may need to be reassessed and even revamped completely.

For St. Paul, the journey to Damascus was the critical milestone of his life.

In answer to his question "Who are you, Lord?", he discovered the person behind the people he was persecuting.

His next question - What am I to do? - that question he alone must answer for himself.

He can stick to his so-called security of his earlier unquestioned convictions and principles.

Or he can follow the way of the truth which will open him to change.

The feast of the conversion of St. Paul, former persecutor-turned-apostle, challenges us not only to look at our convictions and principles and beliefs.

We are also challenged to look at our relationship with Jesus.

Our relationship with Jesus must also be expressed in our relationship with others.

If there are some people whom we have a dislike for or a resentment against, or even some others whom we are " persecuting", then like St. Paul, we need to ask the question - Who are you Lord?