Reach the Prize of Faith - Family Reflection Video

Two giant statues of Saints Peter and Paul stand as guards at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. St. Peter holds the key on the right side, while St. Paul holds a sword on the other. These two figures stand as giants in the faith. Born and educated as a Roman citizen and as a righteous Pharisee, Paul was cruel to the followers of Christ. He imprisoned women and men believers and murdered some with his sword.

In the name of religion, he went around like a roaring lion, arresting and beating people who had faith in Jesus. God, in His mysterious ways, manifested Himself through flashes of brightness that blinded him. Some artists even depict Saul as falling helplessly from a horse; today, many secular and religious organizations are named after him. What makes him so admirable? 

It is incredible to think that the young man who had approved of Stephen’s murder and who had been streaming murderous threats against the early Church ends up preaching the very Good News, which he had earlier sought with all his might to discredit. But this didn’t come because of some intellectual enlightenment. Saul had no time to engage in discussions with the early Christians.

All he wanted to do was round them up, throw them in jail, and, if possible, execute them. No, Saul’s conversion happened because of a personal encounter with Jesus, which literally “threw him off balance” and made him fall. Faith, if it is genuine, is rarely an encounter with an idea or even an ideal, no matter how lofty and noble. Instead, it is an encounter with a person, and his name is Jesus. It was Saul's experience; it should also be ours. 

It appears that St. Stephen's prayers were partially responsible for St. Paul's conversion. While the first Christian martyr was being stoned to death outside the Jerusalem Gate, the stone-throwing assassins laid their cloaks at the feet of Saul, demonstrating that he was presiding over the execution. "Lord, do not hold this sin against them," Stephen prayed, echoing Jesus' words from the cross, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." Both prayers — Stephen's and Jesus' — were heard. As a result, God did not hold Saul responsible for this sin for long. Jesus Christ met him on the road to Damascus and offered him the gift of conversion through that forgiveness. 

The conversion of Saul of Tarsus — is one of the most significant events in the history of the world due to the impact this one man had post-conversion in spreading the Gospel throughout the known world at that time and the profound impact his writings have had on Christian theology throughout history. 

There was a great deal of struggle involved in Paul's conversion. A number of times in his writings, he refers to fighting the good fight, running the race, beating his body, gaining spiritual maturity, engaging in combat with the armor of God, and pressing on toward a prize he had yet to obtain. 

Nevertheless, Paul was able to reach the prize. His experience of lifelong conversion reminds us that while there are no overnight saints, there are saints, nevertheless. Saint Paul is what Saul of Tarsus became, a saint, and with the grace of God, so can we. St. Paul, pray for us!