“Saul, my brother, the Lord has sent me, Jesus who appeared to you
on the way by which you came, that you may regain your sight and be
filled with the Holy Spirit.” Acts 9:17
Saint Paul (who in Hebrew was known as Saul of Tarsus) was a devout
Jewish Pharisee who vigorously defended the law. After Jesus’
Ascension into Heaven, the newfound Christian faith began to grow
rapidly. As a result, Saul of Tarsus vigorously tried to end this
new religion which he perceived as erroneous. He traveled about
looking for followers of Jesus to arrest and imprison. Saul even
gave his consent to the stoning of the deacon, Saint Stephen, the
first martyr. However, on one of his journeys, Saul had a vision of
the risen Christ Who spoke to him gently, saying, “Saul, Saul, why
are you persecuting me?” (Acts 9:4). It was in that encounter that
Saul was left blinded for three days.
The line quoted above are the words of Ananias, a devout disciple
of Jesus. Ananias had also received a vision from Jesus Who told
him to go to Saul of Tarsus and to lay his hands on him so that he
would be healed. Ananias was also told that Saul was “a chosen
instrument” through which the Gospel would be preached to the
“Gentiles, kings, and children of Israel.”
Though there are many fascinating aspects to the story of Saint
Paul and his conversion, it is also inspiring to reflect upon the
way in which God first converted him. Jesus was not harsh with
Saul. He was not condemning. Instead, he saw the goodness and vigor
of Saul and knew that he would respond if he were given the
opportunity. Though Jesus used the powerful action of striking him
blind, He did so because He saw so much potential for good within
Saul.
This same truth applies to our lives. Each one of us has incredible
potential for good, and God does see this. God is aware of all that
He can do with us and is seeking to draw us into His mission of
sharing the Gospel with those in need. The question to ponder is
whether or not you have responded to the ways that God has spoken
to you and invited you to serve Him with your life. Saul’s
encounter with Jesus was powerful and transforming not only because
he was blinded by this vision—it was powerful and transforming,
first and foremost, because Saul wanted to serve God but was trying
to do so in an erroneous way. And once that error was corrected,
Saul responded in an immediate and complete way. As a result, Saul
became one of the greatest evangelists in the history of the
Church.
Reflect, today, upon the desire in the heart of Jesus to invite you
into His mission. Though you may be unaware of the many ways God
can use you, Jesus is fully aware. He sees all of your gifts and
knows who He wants to draw to Himself through you. Say “Yes” to Him
this day and do so with every fiber of your soul. Doing so will
allow God to do great things through you.
Lord, I do love You and desire to be used by You in the way that
You choose. Help me to convert my heart more fully to You so that I
can be led by Your gentle and powerful hand. I accept whatever
mission You give to me and pray that my life will give You true
glory and further Your glorious Kingdom on earth. Jesus, I trust in
You.
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Featured image above: Ananias restoring the sight of St. Paul,
via Wikimedia Commons
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