Dearest Goddaughter (LTR-43) - Conversion of Saint Paul

Dearest Goddaughter,

Today is the Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul, Apostle. Saul's conversion gives us hope that, like him, we too can do a 180 and turn our lives around to come and follow Jesus.

For him, it was a dramatic conversion. For us, it can be a dramatic conversion as well or it can be a slow and steady conversion over time as Jesus works to beak down the walls that we have built around our hearts over the years. I know for me personally, it took several years before I finally open the ears of my heart and listen to God and let the Spirit of Christ dwell in my heart (https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2024/01/my-vocation-story-part-2-call-to.html).

The important thing for us to remember is that we must answer God when He calls us and be grateful to the person who God sends to help us on our faith journey. For Saul, it was Ananias. While Ananias feared Saul because he was persecuting the followers of the Way of Jesus Christ, he nevertheless trusted Jesus when Christ told him to go see Saul.

And, because of Ananias' faithfulness to God, St. Paul - Christ's "chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before Gentiles, kings, and children of Israel" - was indeed sent forth by Christ to bring others to come and follow him. We, too, can be "instruments" of Jesus Christ for love of God and our neighbors.

Love,

Bỏ Phúc

P.S. These are the readings for the day: Acts 22:3-16 or Acts 9:1-22 and Mk 16:15-18 (below).

. . .

Jesus appeared to the Eleven and said to them:

"Go into the whole world

and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.

Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved;

whoever does not believe will be condemned.

These signs will accompany those who believe:

in my name they will drive out demons,

they will speak new languages.

They will pick up serpents with their hands,

and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them.

They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."