Tuesday, January 25, 2022
Feast of Saint Paul di Apostle im Conversion
“Saul, Saul, why you dey persecute Me?” I answer, “Oga, who You be?” And He tell me, “Na Me be Jesus of Nazareth wey you dey persecute.” Acts 22:7-8
Today, we dey celebrate one of the greatest conversions wey people don ever know. The conversion of Saul of Tarsus get meaning so much that our Church give am the glorious rank of Feast. Why? We fit surely give plenty reasons. Make we look at two of dem.
Di first thing be say, Saul im conversion bring one of di greatest people wey don ever preach di Gospel for our Church. Saul, wey later bear di name Paul, na man wey get extraordinary zeal and wey give im whole heart to di faith. E get zeal even before e become follower of Christ Jesus, and e carry dat same zeal enter im conversion, as e give everything wey e get to proclaim di Gospel.
Im ministry as Apostle of Christ no only lead to the founding of plenty Christian communities; e also lead to fourteen letters wey people believe say na im or im followers write becoming part of our Sacred Scripture. Im writings deep, dem get weight, and dem show wetin dey im heart. Im love, zeal and care for the Christian communities wey e found shine clear, as e show say e be true shepherd of God.
Secondly, im conversion happen after e don fiercely persecute the Christian Church wey dem just start. Saul dey go from town to town, dey gather new Christians to arrest and persecute dem. The account of this persecution wey people know pass na when e agree make dem stone St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr, to death, as we read earlier for Acts of the Apostles.
The Scripture passage wey we quote above, wey come from the First Reading for today Mass, show how Jesus appear to Saul and ask am why e dey persecute Am. Saul, wey dey confused, no understand say as e dey persecute the Church, na Jesus Himself e really dey persecute. This revelation wey Saul receive put am for powerful journey of conversion.
One truth wey this show na say, sometimes, we dey face division and even persecution inside the Church, as one person dey do another person these things. This no suppose shock us or weaken our faith. Jesus know this matter well for St. Paul case, and E choose to use am even with the terrible way wey e persecute Christians. This passage suppose make us see every persecution and disagreement more as opportunity than as any other thing. Na opportunity for Jesus to bring great good out of something wey dey cause deep pain.
Today, think deeply about your own experience of disagreement and division inside the Church or even inside your own family. Even though e dey important to acknowledge the pain and hurt wey this dey cause, no lose hope say God fit turn everything to good and use everything for Im glory.
Lord, I dey see di pain, confusion and division inside Your Church and even inside my own family. I dey see conflict and disagreement everywhere for society. As I dey see and face all dis difficulties, give me hope so dat I fit put my trust for Your divine plan, as You dey allow all things for Your glory. Jesus, na You I trust.
Novena: 9 Days for Life
January 19–27
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Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Meditations on Scripture for Ordinary Time
Read More: Saint Paul im Conversion
Di featured picture wey dey above: Saint Paul im Conversion By Luca Giordano
