The First Proclamation “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus ... but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, ... I persecuted this Way up to the point of death ....the high priest and the whole council of elders can testify about me. While I was on my way and approaching Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone about me. I fell to the ground and heard a voice ... ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ I answered ‘Who are you, Lord?” ‘ Then he said to me , ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth whom you are persecuting.’ ... I asked, ‘What am I to do Lord?’ The Lord said to me, ‘Get up and go to Damascus; .... A certain Ananias, who was a devout man ....came to me,... he said ‘Brother Saul, regain your sight!’ In that very hour I regained my sight and saw him. Then he said, ‘The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will, to see the Righteousness One and to hear his own voice, for you will be his witness to all the world of what you have seen and heard. And now why do you delay” Get up, be baptized, and have your sins washed away, calling on his name.’
Prayerful Awareness St. Paul .... yes, his former name was Saul. He gives his background and history. He was a traditional Jew, similar to the Pharisees, who did not accept Jesus, as the Son of God, but who thought that Jesus was an imposter, trying to mislead people and draw people away from the “God” whom they had formed in their minds according to their own whims and fancies, according to the way they “understood” the scriptures. The most striking quality of Paul was his zeal for God. (vs. 3) And with this zeal what did he do? He persecuted, delivered to prison, brought in chains for punishment (vs 4) all those who believed in Jesus Christ. Let us reflect on the life of this man Saul ... a man of zeal for “God” ... doing apparently wrong things for an apparently good cause ... true to his convictions ... was not inactive ... but acted with force and determination ... let me reflect on this man Saul ... Then, he describes in verses 6 to 22, the mysterious events that took place when he was on his way to Damascus, to persecute the Christians. The risen Jesus Christ Himself appears to him and speaks to him, clear and loud, “I am Jesus, the Nazarean, whom you are persecuting”. (vs. 8) Let us reflect on these words. Let us reflect, why Jesus, the Risen Lord, appeared to him. Why did Jesus equate the persecuted Christians to Himself? What was Saul’s reaction, after this encounter with the Risen Lord. The Saint whom we address as St. Paul is this same man, Saul.
Prayer Starter Praise the Lord, Give glory all you peoples! The Lord’s love for us is strong, the Lord is faithful forever. (Ps. 117:1, 2)
