St. Paul: True Witness of the Power of Christ
I find great meaning in the words of Jesus when He says: “I did not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” (Luke 5:32) Even after the resurrection, the first and the last apparition of the Risen Christ recorded in the gospel, was to notorious sinners. First, He appears to Mary Magdalene, who had been possessed by seven demons; and last to Paul, a “blameless Pharisee” who was an accomplice in the stoning of St. Stephen and who mercilessly persecuted Christians. Yet, an encounter with Jesus changed both of their lives so dramatically that today we know them as great saints. They are living witnesses of the infinite mercy and love of God for all, and of His power to transform us sinners. His grace is sufficient, and His love is unconditional.
Today we celebrate the feast of the Conversion of St. Paul. His conversion started on the way to Damascus when, “breathing murderous threats,”(Acts 9:1) Saul of Tarsus meets the Risen Christ and is struck down and blinded by a sudden light from heaven. Saul is converted by this encounter and, because he has seen the Risen Christ, Paul is then recognized as an Apostle in a community which is also made up of forgiven sinners.
Not all of us will experience a radical conversion as that of St. Paul, but we all can be open to change, to incremental “metanoia.” For us Paulines, it is to live always with a contrite heart, sorry for our sins, and in continual conversion “until Christ is formed in us.” As I write these words, I am reminded of my own on-going conversion and the great mercy the Lord has shown to me, even when I responded to His call later in life. I am reminded of his great patience and love as He continues to enlighten me and heal my deepest wounds, while drawing me closer to His Sacred Heart. Jesus desires to heal and transform us all so we can continue in greater freedom our journey to holiness.
With conversion we receive a mission. Just as St. Paul was given the task of bringing the gospel to the Gentile world, we too must announce to our own generation that Jesus is alive and has conquered sin and death and is offering us new life. Our task is to make visible the beauty of that new life in Christ by the way we treat each other and by the way we love and care for one another, especially those who are suffering and in need. We must proclaim with St. Paul that we have been “crucified to the world,” a world ruled by materialism, exploitation, and ruthless individualism, and assert by the way we live, that true fulfillment and happiness lies in a joyful life of self-giving, forgiveness, mercy, and compassion.
Today the Lord is inviting us to emerge from our darkness and to walk in His light. And as we reflect and recall how Jesus often chooses sinners and the most unlikely to be His instruments in the work of salvation, let us open our hearts to the light of Christ and offer our fiat to God. No matter how seriously we have sinned, or how far we are from the Lord, He invites us today to draw near, to gaze at His selfless and sacrificial love for us as He hangs on the Cross, and to follow Him.
More than great preachers, people need the witness of those who live not according to the world, but according to Christ’s word, and who follow the Lamb faithfully no matter the cost. Only then will we clearly and loudly proclaim the Good News to all and become the salt and the light of the world. Only then we will be credible witnesses of the power of Christ and true missionaries after the heart of St. Paul. Only then will we truly convince and convert the world.
St. Paul the Apostle, pray for us sinners.
Sister Marta was born and raised in Managua, Nicaragua. Early in life she experienced an earthquake which claimed thousands of lives and destroyed her hometown. Later, political unrest, Communism, and persecution, especially of young people, caused her to migrate alone to the USA where she met new challenges. After a family tragedy and deeply affected by these adversities, Sister Marta began an inner search for answers to the mystery of life, suffering, truth, and the deepest yearnings of the human heart. She found the answer in Christ. By Divine Providence she met (and joined) the Secular Franciscans in Fresno, California, in 1994, and later, the Sister Disciples of the Divine Master where she discovered, with joy, an undeserved call to the consecrated life. Although a late vocation, she was admitted to the Congregation in 2000. Today, Sister Marta serves the Lord and His Church through her ministry at the Archdiocese of Boston.