What Happened to Paul on the Road to Damascus?
 
St. Paul was not always an Apostle.  In fact, he persecuted the followers of Jesus until one amazing day on the road to Damascus.  Here is how Paul tells his own story, in the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 22: 3-16 (from the Children’s Lectionary):
 
I am a Jew, born and raised in the city of Tarsus in Cilicia.  I was a student of Gamaliel and was taught to follow every single law of our ancestors.  In fact, I was just as eager to obey God as any of you are today.
            I made trouble for everyone who followed the Lord’s Way, and I even had some of them killed.  I had others arrested and put in jail.  I didn’t care if they were men or women.  The high priest and all the council members can tell you that this is true.  They even gave me letters to the Jewish leaders in Damascus, so that I could arrest people there and bring them to Jerusalem to be punished.
            One day about noon I was getting close to Damascus, when a bright light from heaven suddenly flashed around.  I fell to the ground and heard a voice asking me,
            “Saul, Saul, why are you so cruel to me?”
            “Who are you?” I answered.
            “I am Jesus from Nazareth,” the voice replied.  “I am the one you are so cruel to.”
            The men who were traveling with me saw the light, but did not hear the voice.
            I asked, “Lord, what do you want me to do?”
            Then he told me, “Get up and go to Damascus.  When you get there, you will be told what to do.”
            The light had been so bright that I couldn’t see. And the other men had to lead me by the hand to Damascus.
            In that city there was a man named Ananais, who faithfully obeyed the Law of Moses and was well liked by all the Jewish people living there.  He came to me and said, “Saul, my friend, you can now see again!”  At once I could see.
            Then Ananais told me, “The God that our ancestors worshiped has chosen you to know what he wants done.  He has chosen you to see the One Who Obeys God and to hear his voice.  You must tell everyone what you have seen and heard.  What are you waiting for?  Get up!  Be baptized, and wash away your sins by praying to the Lord.”