DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS
I chose you from the world,
To go and bear fruit that will last, says the Lord. Jn 15:16
Dear Love, Beloved of my soul,
As the Church celebrates the conversion of the greatest of all the Apostles who preached to the gentiles, we have first hand testimony from his own lips as he addresses the people and preaches the good news.
It is the testimony of each one of us before our conversion, before our personal encounter with You, before we discovered the purpose for which we are created by God, our Father.
In the past, when we were in the grip of false notions about God and we made assumptions of the truth based on the culture around us, the media, the false prophets with influence to impact the way we think, we were just as rigid and overbearing as Paul. Certain that our way was the right way and everyone else was wrong, we bludgeoned with our bullying those who would not conform to our way of thinking. Uniting our voices to the popular voice of the world, we refused to acknowledge the Life we received in Baptism.
Then, like Paul something we least expected occurs and we are roused from our folly. In Saul's case he met You. In our case it could be anything You permit to happen to us to shake us up. Saul was blinded by the Light of Truth revealing to him his own spiritual blindness. It is only when he was rendered helpless in his blindness, physically weak from fasting, and spiritually hungry for more of You that You sent Ananias to restore his sight, to reveal to him his mission and to Baptize him.
'The God of our ancestors designated you to know his will,
to see the Righteous One, and to hear the sound of his voice;
for you will be his witness before all
to what you have seen and heard.
Now, why delay?
Get up and have yourself baptized and your sins washed away,
calling upon his name.'"
I too have been given a mission when I was baptized into the family of God. Grant O Lord, that when my life here is over I will hear You say to me, "Well done good and faithful servant."
I chose you from the world,
To go and bear fruit that will last, says the Lord. Jn 15:16
FEAST OF THE CONVERSION OF ST. PAUL
Acts 22:3-16, Psalm 117:1-2, Mark 16:15-18
Acts 22:3-16
As the Church celebrates the conversion of the greatest of all the Apostles who preached to the gentiles, we have first hand testimony from his own lips as he addresses the people and preaches the good news.
It is the testimony of each one of us before our conversion, before our personal encounter with You, before we discovered the purpose for which we are created by God, our Father.
In the past, when we were in the grip of false notions about God and we made assumptions of the truth based on the culture around us, the media, the false prophets with influence to impact the way we think, we were just as rigid and overbearing as Paul. Certain that our way was the right way and everyone else was wrong, we bludgeoned with our bullying those who would not conform to our way of thinking. Uniting our voices to the popular voice of the world, we refused to acknowledge the Life we received in Baptism.
Then, like Paul something we least expected occurs and we are roused from our folly. In Saul's case he met You. In our case it could be anything You permit to happen to us to shake us up. Saul was blinded by the Light of Truth revealing to him his own spiritual blindness. It is only when he was rendered helpless in his blindness, physically weak from fasting, and spiritually hungry for more of You that You sent Ananias to restore his sight, to reveal to him his mission and to Baptize him.
'The God of our ancestors designated you to know his will,
to see the Righteous One, and to hear the sound of his voice;
for you will be his witness before all
to what you have seen and heard.
Now, why delay?
Get up and have yourself baptized and your sins washed away,
calling upon his name.'"
I too have been given a mission when I was baptized into the family of God. Grant O Lord, that when my life here is over I will hear You say to me, "Well done good and faithful servant."
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