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January 25th—Feast
of the Conversion of St. Paul
Every congregation of religious men and women has a patron saint as a
model and inspiration for the life of its members. We Daughters
of St. Paul have St. Paul the Apostle as our patron. He was chosen
by our Founder, Venerable James Alberione, SSP, as our guide, model,
and spiritual father.
When choosing a patron for the Society of St. Paul and the Daughters
of St. Paul, Father Alberione reached back to the early years of
Christianity. Through his study of St. Paul’s life and his
letters found in the New Testament, Fr. Alberione discovered a man
of deep prayer and much virtue, a man with an extraordinary love
for Jesus, the Master.
Moreover, Paul’s response to Jesus’ call on the road
to Damascus was one of a total self-offering shown in the passion
and zeal with which Paul carried out the sublime mission entrusted
to him.
Marvelous is the story of St. Paul’s conversion and he himself
tells his story at least three times in The Acts of the Apostles.
He also talks about it in some of his letters. Perhaps you would
consider reflecting on some of these passages.
For all members of the Pauline Family, St. Paul’s letters
are a precious treasure and a rich source for meditation and spiritual
reading. They are most important for our spiritual formation, our
life and our mission of bringing God’s Word to all people through
all forms of media. Venerable James Alberione once said, "The
letters of St. Paul are a fountain of good which will vivify all
generations. They direct life to its final goal and form apostles.
They inflame the heart, fill it with love, and establish all life
in charity."
A few well-loved words of Paul that guide our lives are: "Be
imitators of me, as I am of Christ:" (1 Cor. 11:1), and "It
is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me" (Gal.
2:20).
Father Alberione often held St. Paul up as the great model to imitate
for his love of Jesus, his outstanding life of virtue, his enthusiasm
and apostolic zeal. Of St. Paul, the Founder told his sons and daughters:
"St. Paul is the founder of your congregation; he willed
it," and "You must be St. Paul living today."
January 25th, the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul, is a major
celebration for Paulines the world over. St. Paul’s conversion
is the only conversion celebrated in the Church because it was so
extraordinary. It is an invitation for each of us to allow the transforming
presence of Jesus the Master to capture our mind, our will, our
heart and to allow this love relationship with the Master to influence
all that we are and do.
In preparation for the feast of St. Paul’s conversion, we
invite you to join us in prayer, asking St. Paul’s intercession
particularly for those called to be Pauline apostles today, that
they might have the trust and generosity to respond to the Master’s
call in their own lives.
We have included some Pauline prayers that you might like to reflect
upon during your quiet time with the Master.
God bless you!
--Sr. Mary Paula Kolar, fsp
Novena to St. Paul the Apostle
Entrust your special intentions to St. Paul
and offer the following prayer,
concluding with an Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be.
O St. Paul the Apostle, preacher of truth and Doctor of the
Gentiles, intercede for us to God, who chose you.
You are a vessel of election, O St. Paul the Apostle.
Preacher of truth to the whole world.
O God, you have instructed many nations through the preaching
of the blessed apostle Paul. Let the power of his intercession with
you help us who venerate his memory this day.
PAULINE BEATITUDES
Blessed are they who, like Paul, believe that God has a dream for
each one of us (Gal. 1:5)
They will search for that dream day by day and hold fast to it.
Blessed are they who, like Paul, know how to thank God for everything.
(1 Cor. 4:7)
They will live in humility and peace.
Blessed are they who, like Paul, consider everything as lost when
compared to the profound knowledge of Jesus Christ. (Phil. 3:7)
They will be stretched into growth by their continual pursuit of
Him in everything.
Blessed are they who, like Paul, feel that they have not yet arrived
at their goal, and fun consistently toward it.
They will reach fullness of life.
Blessed are they who, free of heart like Paul, make themselves
servants of all for the sake of the Gospel. (1 Cor. 9:19)
They will find in their journey innumerable friends.
Blessed are they who, like Paul, know that they possess an immense
treasure in vessels of clay.
They will come face-to-face with extraordinary power from God.
Blessed are they who, like Paul, have experienced everything in
Christ" thirst and hunger, to be poor and to be rich" (Phil.
4:12).
They will be serene and strong in every situation.
Blessed are they who, like Paul, face thousands of difficulties
for the purpose of announcing the Gospel (2 Cor. 11:29)
At the end of their life, they will be lifted up with the beauty
and meaning given by this quest. They will not have lived in vain.
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