THE CONVERSION OF ST PAUL; 25th JANUARY

 THE CONVERSION OF ST PAUL

25th JANUARY


                    Carravaggio, "The Conversion of St Paul", Santa Maria del Popolo, (1600).
The commentary in the Missal for the feast of St Paul provides: Saul of Tarsus was full of hatred for Jesus and His disciples. From a bitter persecutor he became an ardent apostle and the irresistible preacher of the Gospel.
The Lesson for this Feast day, (a second class feast day), is from the Acts of the Apostles ,9:1-22:
In those days, Saul, as yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, and asked of him letters to Damascus, to the synagogues; that if he found any men his way, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. And as he went on his journey it came to pass that he grew nigh to Damascus; and suddenly a light from heaven shined round about him. And falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him: Saul, Saul, why persecutes thou Me! Who said: Who art Thou Lord? And He said: I am Jesus of Nazareth whom thou persecutes. It is hard for thee to kick against the goad. And he, trembling and astonished said: Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do? And the Lord said to him: Arise, and go into the city, and there it shall be told thee what thou must do. Now the men who wnet in company with him stood amazed, hearing indeed a voice but seeing no man. And Saul arose from the ground and when his eyes were opened he saw nothing. But they, leading him by the hand brought him to Damascus. And he was there three days without sight; and he did neither eat nor drink. Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias: and the Lord said to him in a vision: Ananias. And he said: behold I am here Lord. And the Lord said to him: Arise and go into the street that is called straight and seek in the house of Judas one named Saul of tarsus; for behold he prayeth. (And he saw a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hands upon him, that he might receiver his sight). But Ananias answered: Lord I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to Thy saints in Jerusalem: and here he hath authority from the chief priest to bind all that invoke Thy name. And the Lord said to him: Go thy way; for this man is to me a vessel of election, to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how great things he must suffer for My sake. And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house and, laying his hands upon him, he said: Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus hath sent me, He that appeared to thee in the way as thou camest, that thou may receives thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. And immediately there fell from his eyes, as it were scales, and he received his sight; and rising up, he was baptized”

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