DAILY GOSPEL: 25/01/2011
«Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.» John 6,68
The Conversion of Saint Paul, apostle - Feast
Acts of the Apostles 22:3-16.
"I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city. At the feet of Gamaliel I was educated strictly in our ancestral law and was zealous for God, just as all of you are today.
I persecuted this Way to death, binding both men and women and delivering them to prison.
Even the high priest and the whole council of elders can testify on my behalf. For from them I even received letters to the brothers and set out for Damascus to bring back to Jerusalem in chains for punishment those there as well.
"On that journey as I drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from the sky suddenly shone around me.
I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'
I replied, 'Who are you, sir?' And he said to me, 'I am Jesus the Nazorean whom you are persecuting.'
My companions saw the light but did not hear the voice of the one who spoke to me.
I asked, 'What shall I do, sir?' The Lord answered me, 'Get up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told about everything appointed for you to do.'
Since I could see nothing because of the brightness of that light, I was led by hand by my companions and entered Damascus.
"A certain Ananias, a devout observer of the law, and highly spoken of by all the Jews who lived there,
came to me and stood there and said, 'Saul, my brother, regain your sight.' And at that very moment I regained my sight and saw him.
Then he said, '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.'
Psalms 117:1.2.
Praise the LORD, all you nations! Give glory, all you peoples!
The LORD'S love for us is strong; the LORD is faithful forever. Hallelujah!
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 16:15-18.
He said 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.
These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages.
They will 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."
"I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city. At the feet of Gamaliel I was educated strictly in our ancestral law and was zealous for God, just as all of you are today.
I persecuted this Way to death, binding both men and women and delivering them to prison.
Even the high priest and the whole council of elders can testify on my behalf. For from them I even received letters to the brothers and set out for Damascus to bring back to Jerusalem in chains for punishment those there as well.
"On that journey as I drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from the sky suddenly shone around me.
I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'
I replied, 'Who are you, sir?' And he said to me, 'I am Jesus the Nazorean whom you are persecuting.'
My companions saw the light but did not hear the voice of the one who spoke to me.
I asked, 'What shall I do, sir?' The Lord answered me, 'Get up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told about everything appointed for you to do.'
Since I could see nothing because of the brightness of that light, I was led by hand by my companions and entered Damascus.
"A certain Ananias, a devout observer of the law, and highly spoken of by all the Jews who lived there,
came to me and stood there and said, 'Saul, my brother, regain your sight.' And at that very moment I regained my sight and saw him.
Then he said, '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.'
Psalms 117:1.2.
Praise the LORD, all you nations! Give glory, all you peoples!
The LORD'S love for us is strong; the LORD is faithful forever. Hallelujah!
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 16:15-18.
He said 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.
These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages.
They will 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."
Mc 16,15-18
Saint Cyril of Jerusalem (313-350), Bishop of Jerusalem, Doctor of the Church
Baptismal catechesis 10
« Is not this the man who was persecuting us? » (Ac 9,21)
«We preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake» (2Cor 4,5). Who then is this? The former persecutor. O mighty wonder! The former persecutor himself preaches Christ. But why? Was he bribed? No, there was no one who could have persuaded him in that way. Was it the sight of Christ on earth that blinded him? But Jesus had already been taken up into heaven. Saul set out from Jerusalem to persecute Christ's church, and after three days the persecutor had become a preacher in Damascus. By what power? Others call friends as witnesses for friends but I have presented to you as a witness the former enemy.
Do you still doubt? The testimony of Peter and John is weighty... but they were indeed his friends. But of the testimony of one who was formerly his enemy, and afterwards died for his sake, who can any longer doubt the truth? I am amazed at the wise dispensation of the Holy Spirit;... to Paul, the former persecutor, he gave the privilege of writing fourteen letters... In order that his teaching might be beyond question, he granted the former enemy and persecutor the privilege of writing more letters than Peter and John so that we might all be thus made believers. For «all were amazed at Paul and said: 'Isn't this the man who was formerly a persecutor? Didn't he come here to take us away bound to Jerusalem?'» (Acts 9,21) «Be not amazed,» said Paul, I know «it is hard for me to kick against the pricks» (Acts 26,14): I know that «I am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God» (1Cor 15,9); but «mercy was shown to me because I did it in ignorance»... «the grace of God was exceedingly abundant in me» (1Tm 1,13-14).
Do you still doubt? The testimony of Peter and John is weighty... but they were indeed his friends. But of the testimony of one who was formerly his enemy, and afterwards died for his sake, who can any longer doubt the truth? I am amazed at the wise dispensation of the Holy Spirit;... to Paul, the former persecutor, he gave the privilege of writing fourteen letters... In order that his teaching might be beyond question, he granted the former enemy and persecutor the privilege of writing more letters than Peter and John so that we might all be thus made believers. For «all were amazed at Paul and said: 'Isn't this the man who was formerly a persecutor? Didn't he come here to take us away bound to Jerusalem?'» (Acts 9,21) «Be not amazed,» said Paul, I know «it is hard for me to kick against the pricks» (Acts 26,14): I know that «I am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God» (1Cor 15,9); but «mercy was shown to me because I did it in ignorance»... «the grace of God was exceedingly abundant in me» (1Tm 1,13-14).
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