A Lesson In Humility
Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul, Apostle
My dear encountered couples:
The conversion of St. Paul is a lesson for all of us in the virtue of humility. Paul thought he was so smart when it came to religion. He seemed to think he knew all there was to know about God. To him Christ and his followers were heretics of the first degree; and the best way to handle them was by throwing them into prison and executing them if they wouldn’t change their beliefs. He wasn’t about to consider the truth of their new ideas about God. He firmly believed he was a staunch defender of the true faith and that God approved of his judgment and condemnation and treatment of those who claimed to follow Christ.
How many today think they are staunch defenders of God! How many today think they know all about the truths of God and think they are doing God’s will when they judge and condemn others who do not agree with them? It seems there are many. We can tune them in or out as they preach over our television sets condemning individuals and groups to an eternity in hell. As Paul was being an apostle of the devil while thinking he was a defender of the true faith, all of us are capable of falling into that same trap.
Paul learned the hard way. He was blinded by a great light and heard a voice that asked, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” When he asked, “Who are you, sir?” the voice responded, “I am Jesus the Nazorean whom you are persecuting.”
God forbid we ever persecute Christ. But it is done when we persecute people. Yes, Paul’s conversion is a lesson in humility. We all need to pray for openness of mind and heart so that God, if he wants to, can teach us what we don’t know, and direct our lives down paths we have not yet discovered.
