25 January 2023 The Conversion of Saint Paul, Apostle

For several days he was with the disciples in Damascus, and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, ‘He is the Son of God.’ All who heard him were amazed and said, ‘Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem among those who invoked this name? And has he not come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?’ Saul became increasingly more powerful and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Messiah.
Acts 9:1-22, NRSV.

In the course of today’s reading we hear about the conversion of Saul. At the beginning of the reading we are told that Saul was still “breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord”, but by the end he is with those same disciples and proclaiming Jesus in the synagogues. No wonder that those who heard him speak in the synagogues were amazed and probably a bit confused as well. Whilst Saul’s conversion seems to have been almost immediate, it is worth remembering that he was already a deeply religious man, highly educated and well versed in the Jewish Law. Through his strict observance of the Law, Saul sincerely believed that he was living in obedience to God. However, through his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus, he comes to a new understanding and is forced to radically rethink his previous beliefs. Jesus asks Saul, “Why are you persecuting me?” Jesus is making Saul’s actions personal to him, perhaps making it harder for Saul to justify than an attack on a group or community. For Saul, this personal encounter with Jesus leads to a change from believing in salvation based on strict observance of the law to a belief in salvation based on the resurrection of the crucified Jesus.

• • Why do you think God chose Saul to experience this encounter with Jesus? 
  • How important is personal encounter with Jesus for Christians today?

Reflect on any discord or division that you are aware of in your local church. Bring these situations to your prayer in the hope that God can turn all things into good. You may find this prayer (from Resources for Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2021) helpful.

God our Father,
you reveal to us your love through Christ
and through our brothers and sisters.
Open our hearts so that we can welcome each other
with our differences and live in forgiveness.
Grant us to live united in one body,
so that the gift that is each person comes to light.
May all of us together be a reflection of the living Christ.