Saints + Scripture: Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul

The Popish Plot
G. K. Chesterton's The Defendant: "Planets"

'Tis the Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul the Apostle (circa 36): Apostle-link ūnus, Apostle-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

One sentence determines Paul's theology: "I Am Jesus, Whom you are persecuting" (Acts, 9:5b). Jesus was mysteriously identified with people—the loving group of people Saul had been running down like criminals. Jesus, he saw, was the mysterious fulfillment of all he had been blindly pursuing.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter twenty-two, verses three thru sixteen;
or, the Acts of the Apostles, chapter nine, verses one thru twenty-two;
Psalm One Hundred Seventeen, verses one(b/c) & two;
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter sixteen, verses fifteen thru eighteen.

Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):

Friends, today we reflect on the significance of the conversion of St. Paul. Paul’s encounter on the road to Damascus was an answer to this question: When would God gather the nations and through Israel bring his rule to the whole world? When Paul met Jesus he realized that the promises of God had been fulfilled, that the expectations of the prophets had been met—but in a most unexpected and extraordinary way.

He knew from his tradition that God, through Israel, would deliver the world from sin, gather the nations, and establish peace and justice everywhere. That was the hope. The usual version of that hope was something like an avenging military and political ruler like Solomon or David, or a great lawgiver and leader like Moses.

What Paul saw in Jesus was someone greater than Moses, Solomon, or David—and someone wholly unexpected. God is establishing his justice, his right order, his way, through a crucified and risen criminal, and now returned from the dead? Forgiveness, compassion, nonviolence, having no truck with the ways of death? This is God’s justice, and it judges all of the fallen powers and kingdoms of the world.

Video reflection by Monsignor John Halloran: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Scripture Study—Exodus 90: Day 5
The Book of Exodus, chapter two, verses eleven thru twenty-five.

Commentary: Moses Flees to Midian (Exodus, 2:11-25).

The Imitation of Christ
Book I: Useful Admonitions for the Spiritual Life
Chapter 6: "Concerning Inordinate Affections"
Chapter 7: "On False Confidence & Arrogance"

'Tis also the festival of Saint Ananias of Damascus, Martyr (floruit circa 36), whose house persists into these latter days: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link House.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Dwynwen, Hermit (died circa 460; also spelt Dwyn, Donwen, etc.), atop whose hermitage was later build Saint Dwynwen's Church (Welsh: Eglwys Santes Dwynwen); her feast, Dydd Santes Dwynwen, is now celebrated as a Welsh Valentine's Day: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Church & Wikipedia-link Love.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Poppo of Stavelot, Abbot, O.S.B. (circa 977-1048, A.K.A. of Deinze; also spelt Popon, Poppone), the "second founder" of the Imperial Abbey of Stavelot-Malmedy & later also abbot of the Imperial Abbey of Saint Maximin: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Stavelot-Malmedy & Wikipedia-link Saint Maximin's.

Papal Quote o' the Day

"Paul's conversion reminds us that a sincere change of heart is essential for the spiritual progress of individual Christians as well as for full unity among them. Only by a change of attitude & behavior toward one another can Christ's disciples remove the obstacles to such unity."
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, feast day: 22 October)

Little Flower Quote o' the Day

"I wish to give all to Jesus, since He has shown me that He alone is perfect happiness."
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"There was a priest who had a high office in one diocese. He was removed from office principally because of alcoholism. He went to another diocese but continued to give scandal. He happened to come into a retreat when I was talking about the holy hour, & he made the holy hour from that time on. He died in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament a month or two later. He had been battling drunkenness for years. But he overcame it in the end because of the expulsive power of the new affection. He fell in love with the Lord. Why do we not have zeal? Simply because we're not in love. Once we're on fire we'll do anything. When we love the Lord, we want to be with Him. That is love's first effect."
—Venerable Fulton J. Sheen (1895-1979)