Jan 25 – Homily – Fr George: Conversion of St. Paul, March for Life
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Homily #130125 (
12min) Play - Fr. George preaches on the conversion of the great Apostle St. Paul, and urges us to pray for all those at the March For Life today, but especially for the conversion of the hearts of all those involved in the great tragedy of abortion. Ave Maria!Mass: Conversion of St. Paul - Feast - Form: OF
Readings:
1st: act 22:3-16
Resp: psa 117:1, 2
Gsp: mar 16:15-18
Audio (MP3)+++
Fr. George’s homilies are great! I love listening to them!
I also would like to share an excerpt of a homily of St. Bernard of Clairvaix about St. Paul.
“Lord, what would you have me do?”
Rightly, beloved brethren, is the conversion of “the teacher of the Gentiles” (1Tim 2,7) a feast that all nations joyfully celebrate today. Numerous indeed are the shoots that have sprung from this root: once converted, Paul became the instrument of the whole world’s conversion. In former days, while he was still living in the flesh but not according to the flesh (cf. Rom 8,5f.), he converted many to God by his preaching, and still today, now that he is living a happier life in God, he does not cease to work for our conversion by his example, prayer and teaching…
This feast is a great source of blessings for those who celebrate it… How can we despair, however great the enormity of our sins, when we hear that: “Saul, still breathing murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord” was suddenly transformed into “a chosen instrument”? (Acts 9,1.15) Who could say from beneath the weight of their sins: “I can’t raise myself up to live a better life” when, on the very road that his heart, thirsting with hatred, was leading him, this implacable persecutor suddenly became a devoted preacher? This conversion alone shows us on a splendid day the greatness of God’s mercy and power of his grace…
Take good note, my brethren, of this perfect model of conversion: “My heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready… What would you have me do?” (Ps 57[56],8; Acts 9,6). Brief words but how pregnant, alive, efficacious and worthy of being answered! How few there are who share this disposition of perfect obedience and have denied their wills to the extent that their own hearts no longer belong to them. How few there are who seek at every moment not what they themselves want but what God wants and who are continually saying to him: “Lord, what would you have me do?”
http://dailygospel.org/main.php?language=AM&module=commentary&localdate=20130125