Jan 25 Sat
The grace of God converted Paul from a persecutor into an Apostle. Paul was a zealous defender of the law of Moses, and in his eyes, the doctrine of Christ was a danger to Judaism. Now he sets out for Damascus, suddenly, a great light from heaven surrounds him. And falling to the ground he heard a voice that told him: “Saul, why do you persecute me?” And he answered: “Who are you, Lord?” And the voice said: “I am Jesus, whom you persecute.”
St Paul will never forget this personal encounter with the risen Christ.
Likewise, the Lord wants to make use of us as instruments, as he made use of St Paul.
And we have to foster our desire for souls.
We must have recourse to persevering prayer and generous mortification so that our Lord grants to his Church the grace of the union of all Christians. St Paul teaches us this: as soon as they helped him to get up from the ground, he left for Damascus and remained three days without being able to see and without eating or drinking. Only after this time of prayer and penance does God command his servant Ananias: “Go, because this is the instrument I have chosen to bear my name to the Gentiles, the kings, and the children of Israel. I will show him all he will have to suffer for my name's sake."
St. Josemaría used to remind us: “Realize that God, when he sets his gaze on us, and gives us the grace to struggle to reach sanctity in the middle of the world, also gives us the obligation to do apostolate. The concern for souls arises as a logical consequence of this election by God: when you discover something good you try to attract others to it. You have to want others to accompany you along the ways of the Lord. If you are going to the forum or the baths, and you come across someone who has nothing to do, you invite him to go with you. Apply this earthly custom to the spiritual sphere, and when you go to God, don't go alone" (St Gregory the Great).
St Paul had to suffer a great deal in his apostolic work, but those sorrows were blessed a thousandfold: those who did not like him, used to say that he was short, slow of speech, cross-eyed... And he felt so great!... With those invisible wounds, he felt like another christ, Christ himself.
“You and I are worth very little. And, nevertheless, we must have a superiority complex."
“Think about why. We can say: ‘Lord I am nothing, I am worth nothing, and I have nothing. We are not worth much, we cannot do much, and we have nothing; but we have the arms of Holy Mary, Mother of Fair Love, we have the arms of our Father God, and therefore we can say with St Paul: ‘I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.’ (Phil 4:13)."
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