Daily Readings 05/16/2013: There's a Call for You. Will you Stand for Something, or Fall for Anything?

Daily Readings: 05/16/2013


"The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage.For just as you have borne witness to my cause in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness in Rome.” Acts 23:11



So here we are with St. Paul. He is out persecuting Christians, has his conversion experience and gets dragged out in front of his old friends to be tried. Instead of saying, "Oh, haha, I was just kidding about that whole Road to Damascus thing. I'm still good ole Saul, your best buddy!" He stands up and tells him what he's learned, he shares with them the hope he has discovered. And a great debate ensues.

What we can learn from Paul's conversion is a couple of things. First, it is often those that are found after being lost, that can have the greatest impact on bringing others back to God. Paul could relate to the Pharisees, because he had been a Pharisee.

The second thing we can learn from St. Paul is that if we keep our mouths shut, we help nobody. Imagine the places Christ's message would not have reached had God not touched St. Paul and sent him out to preach and spread the gospel. If he'd just kept his conversion story to himself then sure, he would have had a great personal encounter, but as Jesus said, one does not light a lamp to put it under a bushel basket. We need to share our relationship with Him and our love for Him so that others can see the ways it can change the world. As St. Catherine of Siena said, ""Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire."

The third thing we can learn is that the truth is the truth, even when it is controversial. Paul's proclamation starts a battle between the two differing opinions. So much so that he is removed for his safety and brought somewhere else. But that night that the Lord comes to him he doesn't shy away from the message he is meant to deliver at all. He goes out into the world to spread the good news as he was called to do. We often shrink a bit when God's word is controversial or when people tell us it should 'get with the times'. God's word is timeless. It is not up to the sway of public opinion or current and changing social mores. And as His followers called to proclaim the truth, we should stand like St. Paul. Otherwise, who are we? Judas?


God Bless,
P.D.O.