Today is Feast of Conversion of St. Paul, Apostle. How the Lord called Paul to serve him was most dramatic. From Acts 9, we learn that Paul was on his way to Damascus to bring back to Jerusalem in chains for punishment any men or women who followed the way of Jesus. On his journey, as he was nearing Damascus, a light from the sky suddenly flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" He said, "Who are you, Sir?" The reply came, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do." Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing; so his companions led him by the hand and brought him to Damascus. For three days he was unable to see. Then the Lord sent a disciple named Ananias to Paul to lay his hands on him and say to him, "Saul, my brother, the Lord Jesus has sent me that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." Immediately things like scales fell from his eyes and he regained his sight. He got up and was baptized. He stayed some days with the disciples in Damascus, and he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues that he is the Son of God.
Sometimes I wish that God would call each one of us this way, but the Lord had chosen Paul to be his special instrument to carry his name before Gentiles, kings, and children of Israel. He calls us too to be his instruments to do what suits us best. It's not how the Lord calls us that's important; rather, it's how we respond to his calling that matters.
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