by David Keating
The Keating Files – January 25, 2021
“St. Paul’s life-changing experience on the road to Damascus is related three times in the Book of Acts. As an archenemy of Christians, Saul of Tarsus set out for Damascus to arrest and bring believers to Jerusalem for trial. While on the way, he saw a blinding light and heard the words: ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’ Saul asked, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ The reply came, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.’ In Damascus, where Saul was brought after being blinded, a disciples named Ananias was directed by the Lord in a vision to go to Saul to restore his sight: ‘Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine to carry My name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel’ (Acts 9:15). After receiving his sight, Saul was baptized and went on to become known as Paul, the great apostle.”
– from Treasury of Daily Prayer
I think St. Paul may be the perfect figure for our day and age.
We are consistently drawing up tribal battle lines with which to divide ourselves. We want an excuse to dislike or hate the people with whom we disagree. Often, these kinds of sentiments can get to a fevered pitch and we assume that there will be no room for discussion with those of differing worldviews.
Rather than trying to persuade people toward the truth of the Gospel, we write them off in their entirety. St. Paul is such a fantastic antidote to that familiar feeling that many have.
If anyone in the Church had the right to despise someone, it would have been Saul. Saul, after all, put many Christians to death. Yet, the great truth of Christianity is that no one is beyond saving. Therefore, through Christ Jesus’ call, St. Paul became a great defender of the Church and a voice for it during its early years.
Thanks be to God that Saul was not written off, but was instead called to be a member of the congregation of believers!
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The Reverend David Keating is pastor at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Curtis, Nebraska.
Recent by Pastor Keating…
“Soul: Finding Joy in the Little Things”
“The Pivotal Players – Models of Faithfulness for Catholics and Non-Catholics”
“Watchmen: The Miracle in One’s Life”
“How Does DC Comics Wrestle with Theodicy?”
“Arrival: If You Knew the Ending, Would You Embrace the Journey”
“Star Wars: What the Rise of Skywalker Got Right”
“Justin Bieber, Chance the Rapper and Dante? In the Tradition of Christian Art”
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