January 25 + The Conversion of Saint Paul the Apostle

Paul was the greatest of the early Christian missionaries. He first appears in the Acts of the Apostles under the name of Saul. He was raised in the Jewish faith as a Pharisee trained in the strict observance of God’s Law and he believed the Law should be obeyed by himself and all Jews. Saul was upset by the early Christian Church, believing that the early Christians had broken away from their Jewish traditions. He actively persecuted the Church in Jerusalem. As the first Christian martyr Stephen was being stoned to death, the persecutors laid down their garments at Saul’s feet and Saul consented to Stephen’s death.

Saul then traveled to Damascus to further persecute the Christians. On the road to Damascus, Saul had an encounter with the Risen Jesus Christ. Jesus asked, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” Saul replied, “Who are you, sir?” Jesus responded, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.” Saul was shaken and blinded by the experience and Jesus then sent him into Damascus to wait for further instructions. When a Christian named Ananias came and baptized Saul, his blindness went away. As a result of this encounter, Saul became a follower of Christ and his name became Paul.

Paul went to Jerusalem to consult with Peter. After his first missionary journey, Paul was called by Jesus to proclaim the Gospel to the Gentiles. He spent the rest of his life journeying on his missions, establishing churches, and writing to them when he heard of their accomplishments and failures.

Paul traveled throughout much of Europe, particularly in Macedonia, Greece, and Italy. While preparing for a missionary trip to Spain, he was imprisoned in Caesarea by the Jews for two years. When released, he traveled again, was shipwrecked in Malta and was imprisoned for another two years for preaching in Rome. Despite these imprisonments, Paul continued to preach. He eventually made his way to Spain, then returned to the East, and finally returned to Rome once again.

In 67 AD, Paul was arrested in Rome for a second time and this time he was beheaded under the Emperor Nero.

Paul’s letters are the earliest records of the life and history of the early Church. As inspired by the Holy Spirit, Paul’s letters are part of the Canon of the New Testament. As a record of the happenings in the early Church, they are an invaluable record of the expansion of Christianity.