HOMILY FOR THE CONVERSION OF ST. PAUL (FEAST)
Homily for the conversion of St. Paul the Apostle Acts 9:1-22; Mark 16:15-18 Born at Tarsus in Cilicia about 10A.D. of a Jewish family of the tribe of Benjamin, Paul, was a Roman citizen. Educated in a religious doctrine of the school of the Pharisees by Gamaliel. Saul who became Paul, was a bitter persecutor of the infant church. The reading of today from the acts of the apostles communicates the conversion of Paul. An irreversible moment in the life of the persecutor who breathed fury against the early Christian community, the Church. A key moment in this encounter is the response of Jesus to the question of Saul: “who are you?”. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting” (Acts 9:5). Rooted in this response is the Apostles’ teaching on the church as the body of Christ. Jesus. Although Christ had ascended into heaven, he continues to be present on earth, in the church. He is the church. This experience guided St. Paul and the Apostles in the teaching that the church through the Holy Spiri...