25 Jan
Thu
Conversion of St Paul
Acts 22:3-16 or Acts 9:1-22
Ps. 117:1,2
Mk. 16:15-18
(Psalter proper)
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"Go out to the whole world and tell the Good News", Jesus instructed His eleven remaining apostles before His ascension. And after Pentecost they began to do just that, though we don't know very much about how they actually did it. We know much more about how a man who wasn't there that day went out to "the whole world" and told the Good News, and has left a strong mark and influence on the Christian community ever since. From being a persecutor of Christians, St Paul became not only a Christian himself but one of the members of the "team" of Apostles. His account of his sudden conversion on the road to Damascus is told three times in the Acts of the Apsotles. It was a dramatic event in his life, which gave him a new mission as a witness of Jesus Christ. For most of us, our conversion or becoming Christians or re-finding Jesus in our lives was not such a dramatic event. But we have inherited the same mission to be witnesses of Jesus, each in our own way and time and place, all over the world. Maybe we haven't been persecuting Jesus (like He explained to Paul), but have we always recognized Jesus when we've met Him in all the various events and happenings along the road of our lives, and in the people whose lives cross our own?



May we who celebrate Paul's conversion imitate and follow him in bearing witness to Jesus our Lord and Master.

DAILY OFFERING
Eternal Father, I offer You everything I do this day; my thoughts, words, joys and sufferings. Grant that, vivified by the Holy Spirit and united to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, my life this day may be of service to You and to others. I also pray that all those preparing for marriage discover in Sacrament the source of Christ's grace for living a fithful and fruitful love. Amen.

PRAYING WITH THE CHURCH
INTENTION
That in our time, unfortunately marked by many episodes of violence, the pastors of the Church may continue to indicate the way of peace and understanding among peoples.
Elaboration

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