Commemoration of St. Paul, Apostle–R (III) (Comm. St. Peter, Apostle)

Saul, the youthful Pharisee of Jerusalem who stood by as a witness at the death of the first martyr, Stephen, grew into manhood with a consuming desire to destroy the religious followers of Jesus. Three years after the crucifixion of Christ, while in the very act of extending his persecution of the Christians from Jerusalem to Damascus, Saul was confronted by his Savior with the question, “Why dost thou persecute me?” In the dazzling light of this vision, Saul was called to a double vocation: to be a chosen vessel to carry the name of Jesus among nations, and to suffer much for Christ. In this new life, Saul was renamed Paul.