CONVERSION OF ST. PAUL.

Wednesday, January 25, 2023

CONVERSION OF ST. PAUL (FEAST)

First Reading.  Acts 22: 3-16 or 9: 1-22
Psalm. 117: 1, 2(R Mark 16: 15).
Gospel. Mark 16: 15- 18

TOPIC FOR REFLECTION

ANYBODY CAN BE CONVERTED

We are all God's children, and all of us are important in the sight of God.
So, who is that person you think is a criminal in this world that can not be converted? Remember that we are all unique individuals, and we have different roles to play in life.
You never can tell what God has in stock for the person you are condemning.

My dear, please let us be careful not to act like...
1. God's personal assistance (God's P A)
2. Assistant to Jesus on special issues 😆, as if Christianity is Government's ministry.
3. Holy Spirit's General controller
4. God's judgemental advocate

What we should be aware of is that in most cases, those whom we already conclude can never be good persons/Christians, are those who may be converted and become the greatest in society; just as Saul whom the early Christians knew to be the enemy of Christ and His Church suddenly got converted and became Paul. He even took the Good News of Christ far beyond the other immediate Apostles of Christ.

God can *rewrite* people's stories, the way He rewrote the story of Saul to Paul. So do not judge, because you do not know the future of the person you are condemning.
We do not know what tomorrow holds, but we know who holds tomorrow, God.
You do not hold the future of the person you are condemning. The table can turn around many times, so be careful and stop acting like God's Personal Assistance, as if you know the mind of God.

Do you remember this beautiful chorus?
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow
Because He lives, all fear is gone
Because I k-n-o-w... He holds my future
My life is worth, a living just because He lives.

Therefore, meditating on the above famous chorus, one can deduce that Saul saw tomorrow, even though it was seen from the wrong perspective. still, his action was according to the Jewish culture and custom, fighting for a just cause, but never knew *he* was fighting against God believing that He was fighting for God. Hence, God saw his pure intention and called him into His vineyard to channel the same zeal to convert people into His kingdom.

This is one of the methods God can use on anybody He chooses to use in winning souls into His kingdom.

Finally, my dear brethren in Christ, let us *be* docile to the Holy Spirit so that God can use us to propagate His Good News.

We all need true conversion, not just being a Christian, but a true believer.

Peace ✌️ be with you.

Rev. Fr. Segun Oladeji, CRS.

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