Tag: apostles

 He was the perfect fit.

Saint Paul, then called Saul, could not have a better resume. He was a Pharisee, he was wealthy and interestingly enough, a Roman citizen. This man dedicated his life to killing and torturing as many Christians as he could find. Who better to be the chief persecutor.

I’m sure he gained fame with both the Romans and the Pharisees for his pursuits. He also must’ve struck fear wherever he went. If I close my eyes and think back to what life must’ve been like in Israel at that time. I can imagine very simple and probably hard life. it seems to me that whole family would probably work to keep food on the table and a roof over their heads.

It’s in these homes I think the Christianity took hold. These fortunate people more than likely heard the words of Jesus personally. How life-changing, how impactful, how extraordinary that must’ve been. But now think of what it would’ve been like a year, or two years after Jesus was crucified. Those who believed knew that Jesus had conquered death in His Resurrection. It was in this belief that their lives were transformed. “ Love thy neighbor, as I have loved you“, took on  a new meaning. I just have to believe that all of those early Christians would’ve stood out in a crowd. Peaceful, caring, tolerant, loving, hopeful. Qualities that may have set them apart from non-believers.

Easy prey.

And Saint Paul (Saul) was ruthless. We just get a snippet of his persecution of those early disciples of Jesus. But I imagine he targeted not just men, but women and children, whole families. Torture and death. He probably thought by this path of cruelty, these Christians will eventually fade away.

It’s just an incredible event. Really think about it. That Jesus, soon after his Resurrection and Ascension into heaven, chooses maybe one of the most important figures in the early church. Who is that person He chooses, Saint Paul, ( Saul ). Of all the people, all the early disciples, even the first apostles, Jesus chose him.

Of course, we know the story of Paul’s conversion on the road to Damascus. Now, think about several weeks later after his conversion. Paul goes and visits  the first apostles. Peter, James, John, all of them knew this man and what he had done. Can you even conceive of their astonishment at his conversion? I could just imagine him going to Peter and asking for confession.

We just don’t know how God can turn suffering into good. We don’t know why God chooses people like Saint Paul. But by Saint Paul’s example, we can be confident in one thing. Jesus can open even the most hardened heart.

We don’t know how many years he lived after his conversion, but we do know Saint Paul became one of the most important apostles, certainly the most prolific. He went out and preached the Gospel for many years under intense persecution. All of the people, Jews and non-Jews alike, would have known of his past. And as they listened to this man preach the good news they must’ve hung on every word.

It’s amazing how God works because……… he was the perfect fit.