9781644135945

The Christmas Cycle
sacred: his religion, his former convictions, his ideals, and his reputation among his fellow
men. He knew how they would slander and detract him, and would consider him a traitor;
but this thought does not deter him. To serve his Master is his only concern. “I know whom
I have believed” and in whom I have trusted. With Christ I have won all things; by Christ
I shall not be betrayed. With Christ alone my life and undertakings have merit and shall
be eternally rewarded. By that which I hitherto considered worthy, I was deceived. Only in
Christ is there salvation and every good. To Him I give myself, Him I shall serve, for Him
I shall live, for Him I shall die. Paul realized the value of the promises made by Christ to
those who leave all things and follow Him: they “shall receive a hundredfold [in this world]
and shall possess life everlasting” (Gospel). Indeed, in Christ, who has appeared to him and
whom he follows, he receives a hundredfold.
On the road to Damascus, Christ appeared to Saul, the persecutor. A crucial experience for
Saul! Thereby he became an entirely new man, with new ideas and new ideals, a new goal,
and a new strength. He withdrew to pray and fast, permitted himself to be baptized, and lived
in complete resignation to the will of God. Henceforth he would labor for Christ, for the
Church, and for souls. We thank God for St. Paul. In this apostle we honor the selected tool,
the chosen vessel of grace, and respectfully listen to his words, which are so frequently used
in the liturgy of the Mass.
Today we see ourselves in Paul. His experience at Damascus is reenacted in us at baptism,
which is an unmerited grace and blessing given by the Lord to an unworthy sinner. We ask,
“Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?” And we accept Him: “I believe in God, . . . in Jesus
Christ, . . . in the Holy Ghost.” Christ’s appearance on the road to Damascus has often been
repeated in many hours of grace we have experienced. Often we chose the wrong way. Then
suddenly and unexpectedly He appeared before the eyes of our spirit. “Why persecutest thou
Me?” At once we asked, “Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?” and He said to us, “Go into
the city,” turn to the Church, to the priesthood of the Church. “There it shall be told thee what
thou must do.” The priest raised his hand in blessing and spoke the following consoling words
over us: “I absolve thee of all thy sins.”
St. Paul’s experience at Damascus is re-enacted daily for us in the Mass. Sacrificially
(symbolically) we leave all things and in the bread and wine place ourselves on the altar.
“Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?” After we have given all in the Offertory, we receive
a hundredfold in return at Communion; we receive Christ, His life, His merits, His love
of the Father. Christ gives us the strength to conquer ourselves. Like Paul, like one filled
with Christ, like a manifestation of Christ, we return from the altar to our daily duties. We
become apostles of Christianity, bringing Christ to all men as Paul did, becoming all for all
in order to win all for Christ (1 Cor 9:19 ff.). Like St. Paul, we should not shun any difficulty
or trial, but courageously face every adversity in our zealous service of Christ (2 Cor 11:24
ff.). Then, confident of victory, we can say with Paul: “I know whom I have believed, and
I am certain that He is able to keep that which I have committed to Him against that day,”
when He shall call us to eternal union with Himself (2 Tm 1:12). Eternally we shall enjoy
what Christ has promised: “You who have left all things and followed Me, shall receive a
hundredfold, and shall possess life everlasting” (Communion). Yes, I will go with Paul. “I
know whom I have believed.”
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