FROM THE SERVANT GENERAL
THE NEW EVANGELIZATION
(Part 256)
CALL TO PAUL, CALL TO US ALL
Feast of the Conversion of St Paul, Apostle
January 25, 2022
Today’s readings:
Acts 22:3-16
Psalm 117:1-2
Mark 16:15-18
The conversion of Saul was a dramatic event. A great light shone in the sky, Saul fell to the ground, and Jesus spoke to him. He met Christ. Bewildered, Saul asked, “Who are you, sir?” (Acts 22:8a). Jesus answered, “I am the Nazorean whom you are persecuting.” (Acts 22:8b). Then Saul asked further, “What shall I do, sir?” (Acts 22:10a). Jesus instructed him what to do, and Saul was on his way to conversion. He would then go on to live Christ. Then Saul would become Paul, the great apostle to the Gentiles. He would share Christ.
Saul was not only not for Christ but he was a rabid enemy of Christ. On his own, he zealously sought out and persecuted Christians. “I persecuted this Way to death” (Acts 22:4a). He proactively got marching orders from the high priest and council of elders. He went far and wide, even to Damascus to bring back Christians to Jerusalem for punishment. He to us would be considered the worst enemy of the faith. But God touched him, transformed him, and used him powerfully.
God can use anyone, even sinners such as you and I.
What needs to happen? Ananias told Saul, “The God of our ancestors designated you to know his will, to see the Righteous One, and to hear the sound of his voice; for you will be his witness before all to what you have seen and heard.” (Acts 22:14-15). The same thing is for us.
First, we are to know God’s will. God has His plan for our lives. God wills only our well-being and ultimate salvation. But we need to obey Him and to live according to His ways. We must turn away from sin in repentance.
Second, we are to see the Righteous One. This is Jesus, the spotless Lamb who took on our sins and won for us our salvation on the cross. We must put our faith in him. We must strive to be holy as he is holy. We must always fix our eyes on him, who leads us to righteousness.
Third, we are to hear the voice of Jesus. Jesus taught us during his public ministry; he continues to teach us in different ways today. We pray. We read and meditate on his word in the Bible. We listen to Christian teachings. We are 24/7 for Jesus, allowing him to instruct us and to continue to transform us.
Fourth, we are to be Jesus’ witnesses. As we meet Christ and we live Christ, we also need to share Christ. We witness to others by a silent witness of a holy life, and by a verbal witness as we proclaim the gospel and do the work of evangelization. We continue with Jesus’ work, until he comes once again.
To evangelize is the most important work of the Church, the very reason why Jesus established his Church in order to carry on with the work after him. This was his final instruction, his marching orders, before he ascended into heaven. “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned.” (Mk 16:15-16).
To share Christ results in people meeting Christ and then living Christ. And this is all about salvation and avoiding condemnation, the very reason why Jesus came into the world, and suffered and died for us.
This work is intended by Jesus to touch every creature, and to reach to the ends of the earth. God wants no one to be lost. “His mercy for us is strong; the faithfulness of the Lord is forever.” (Ps 117:2). Let us do our work, and look to the salvation of all. “Praise the Lord, all you nations! Extol him, all you peoples!” (Ps 117:1).
