God made use of even the most unlikely soul to change the course of the world.What use has He for me?
I have been reflecting on the conversion of Saint Paul today. After all, Saint Paul was a pivotal Saint in the Early Church, whose writings have changed the course of the Catholic Church.
And yet, Saint Paul began his life as a Pharisee, who was completely opposed to the early Church. It was Saint Paul who approve the martyrdom of Saint Stephen, who was the first martyr of the Church. And so it is that the conversion of Saint Paul is considered pivotal in the Church’s history. You see, the conversion of Saint Paul ensured that Saint Paul’s zeal and energy could be used to further God’s plans rather than to oppose them.
And I have been thinking about that today. You see, it was not impossible for God to just d the job Himself. After all, the Almighty Creator of the Universe surely did not need to use a mere human – and a very misguided and sinful one at that – to change the world and establish the strength of His Church. And yet, this conversion was so important to the Church itself, that it is referenced THREE times in the Acts of the Apostles in Chapters 9, 22 and 26… And because of this I KNOW that it was an important event.
Now, I know the obvious reason for the significance of the conversion. After all, it was to Saint Paul that God revealed that Christ remains with the Church, when Christ said to Paul on the Road to Damascus, “Why do you persecute Me?” (Acts 9:4).
“Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?’” (Acts 9:1-4).
But there is more to it than that. The second time we are told about Saint Paul’s conversion int eh Acts of the Apostles, we are also told of Paul’s education. And this is important. After all, Paul says, “I studied under Gamaliel and was thoroughly trained in the law of our ancestors.” (Acts 22:3).
“Then Paul said: ‘I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. I studied under Gamaliel and was thoroughly trained in the law of our ancestors. I was just as zealous for God as any of you are today. … About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me. I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’” (Acts 22:3-7).
And this is important. Because it shows that God used Paul’s education, connections and intelligence to do what Saints Simon Peter, James and John (and all the other apostles) could not do with their inferior intelligence and education. In other words God worked His wonders in the world through Paul’s GIFTS!
And again, we are told that Paul was an instrument, “‘On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. About noon, King Agrippa, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’” (Acts 26:12-14).
And so today, as I wonder about this momentous event, I consider my purpose as a mere and sinful human soul in God’s great plan. For God made use of even the most unlikely soul to change the course of the world. What use has He for me?
For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.