CONVERTED FOR A MISSION

THE CONVERSION OF ST. PAUL THE APOSTLE 

Acts 22:3-16 (alt. Acts 9:1-22)

Mark 16:15-18 (Go out to all the world and tell the Good News).

WE ARE ALL BAPTIZED OR CONVERTED FOR ONE PRIMARY MISSION: SALVATION.

In the first reading, we hear about Saul’s conversion, a man who was part of the mob that stoned Stephen (the first Christian martyr) to death (Acts 22:3-16). On his mission to Damascus to pursue Christians (or followers of “the Way”), Saul was suddenly struck to the ground by a blinding light and heard a voice saying, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? ... I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting”. Saul obeyed the instruction to proceed to Damascus, where a disciple called Ananias blessed and baptized him as Paul. When 

Paul recovered his sight, he began proclaiming Jesus as the Messiah and the Son of God. PAUL WAS CONVERTED FOR A MISSION.

On the one hand, Paul needed special grace from God to be converted. On the other, he was open to this grace. He was humble. It was not easy for Paul to leave his way of life that had given him authority and economic prowess, however harmful it was to Christians. Many people fail to leave their corrupt ways that benefit them, however harmful these may be to other people. We may also recall how many times some of us have often gone back to our risky ways of life, despite many warnings and signs from God and from other people. GOD IS MERCIFUL AND LOVING. That’s why probably some of us are still alive.

St.Paul teaches us to CONVERT when we still have time and the energy to serve God. We shouldn’t always wait for the last hour. As the saying goes, “Those who try to convert on the twelfth hour often pass on the eleventh”. I remember one person who refused to accept Jesus even on his death bed. Although I cannot judge the man, since only God has the power to do so, I still think it was very unfortunate.

Today’s Gospel explains this CHRISTIAN MISSION, which may be explained in TWO PARTS. FIRST, after His Resurrection, Jesus appeares to the eleven (Judas has already excluded himself from the Apostles), saying to them: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:15-17). This is the good news that Jesus brought. It was all about our salvation from sin for us to have eternal life. This is the Gospel message for which Christ converted St. Paul who had been zealously murdering Christians, thereby denying himself eternal life. God wanted Saul to use his zeal to promote life rather than destroy it. This is the reason for which Jesus came into the world: “I came that they may have life and have it to the fullest“ (John 10:10). Thus, every preacher of the Good news should focus on converting souls to God for them to have eternal life.

It is very unfortunate, however, that, instead of focusing on this primary Gospel message, some people rather concentrate on the SECOND PART: “These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name [Jesus’s name] they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. They pick up serpents with their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover”. This second part of today’s Gospel is very difficult to understand for some people, although it sounds very simple. Based on this Gospel passage, many people, including the learned, are easily deceived by the trickery of some unscrupulous spiritual leaders. Due to this trickery, from my knowledge, some people have handled poisonous snakes and died of snake bites; some have drunk bleach and and other forms of poison, losing their lives; some have been attacked and maimed by demons as they tried to cast them out of other people, and so forth. People have different gifts, and only God, the OMNIPOTENT, has authority over all of these things, because God is pure and holy. Human beings have their own weaknesses; they shouldn’t compare themselves to God or Jesus; God is God. 

In fact, God performs miracles in our daily life experiences. He saves us when we recover from sickness, or survive an accident, or a snake crawls away from us instead of biting us, or a wild elephant does not charge at us, or someone saves us from drowning in a river/the sea/ ocean /swimming pool, etc. THE VERY FACT THAT I AM ABLE TO WAKE UP TODAY, BREATH AND GO ABOUT DOING MY DAILY WORK/BUSINESS IS A GREAT MIRACLE . Why should I be testing God by touching a poisonous snake or drinking poison as if I am God or the only believer in the world? God has billions of souls to attend to. We shouldn’t test God. We should humble ourselves before God. 

Lord, give us a repentant heart for us to turn back to you whenever we fall. Empower us to spread your Good News for our salvation and the salvation of others. Amen.

N.B: Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, join me in praying for the repose of the soul of Fr. Charles Muchinshi Chilinda, S.J., whose burial is today, and the souls of all those who have recently passed due to COVID-19 and other causes. MTSRIEP, through the intercession of St. Paul. Amen.🙏🏾