I would like to draw your attention to today’s First reading taken from the Acts of the Apostles. The reading is ordinarily approached as the story of Paul’s conversion — from Saul to Paul. However, I would like us to approach it differently as Ananias’ story, a story of extraordinary risk and courage.
We heard that Saul, a radically prejudiced, dangerous enemy to believers in Christ, “breathing murderous threats” was on the road to Damascus on a mission to arrest and murder Christians. Jesus knocked Saul off his high horse! The Lord then asked Ananias to go and pray for Saul to regain his “sight.” Ananias knew how risky this would be to him and to other believers in the city. His reply to Jesus was, “Lord, I have heard from many sources about this man, what evil things he has done to your holy ones in Jerusalem. And here, here has authority to imprison all who call upon your name.” In US American parlance, Ananias was basically telling Jesus “Seriously? Are you asking me to go to a man who wants to arrest, imprison or even murder me?” That’s how imagine an American would respond!
The Lord insisted that Ananias had to go visit Saul, because the Lord wanted to turn Saul into an instrument to carry His name to the gentiles. Ananias agreed to go even when he did not understand everything, but because it was the Lord who had commanded him to do so.
There are two lessons we can reflect on this day:
Sometimes We Don't Understand God'a Call to Us
First is that sometimes the Lord can ask us to follow Him into unknown, unpredictable, illogical and even scary circumstances. That is what the Lord asked of Ananias. To some of us it may come as an invitation to be charitable towards an ex-spouse, to be charitable to a parent who abused us, to be charitable to a manager or co-worker who made our life miserable, to be charitable to a family member who was mean us, or to be kind to a person who discriminated against us in a group or association we belonged to. Ananias went despite his fears. He did not hold onto his perspectives or his logic, rather he trusted Jesus more than himself.
Respond in Trust
Second is that we learn is that there is “No one beyond God’s love.” There is no one beyond the grace of God, no matter what we have done in life, no matter how far we had fallen away, no matter what our sins have been. God’s love reaches and is available out to all! For a man who had blood on his hands, Saul’s story cautions us never to label anyone as beyond God’s redemption if they open to His love and grace.
Today we can ask ourselves: Is there something that has God been asking you to do that you’ve been resisting? What is it that God keeps reminding me to do yet you have been resisting all along? Your act of responding in faith like Ananias might be the first step in fulfilling an important plan of God as we see in St Paul’s life. Each one of us plays an essential role in God’s plans.
Like Ananias, may we ask God for the grace and the courage we need to say “yes” to Him especially when He comes knocking on our hearts with invitations that might be difficult to understand. Amen.
- Today’s Readings
- Father Fred's inspirational homily was recorded live during Mass at the Father Peyton Center this morning. You can view the Mass (and the Rosary at the 30-minute mark) on the Family Rosary YouTube page.
- To join the Rosary and Mass Livestream, visit the Family Rosary YouTube or Facebook page at 11:30 a.m. Eastern, Monday – Friday. Consider inviting others to join, too! (*If you are not a member of Facebook and a signup window appears, simply select the X at the top of the pop-up message and continue to the livestream.)
