Galatians 1:13-24
For the next week and a half, our first reading will be taken from Paul’s letter to the Galatians. This is a short letter, just six chapters long. In reading it, one notices Paul’s tremendous passion and frustration.
In our reading today, we hear about St. Paul’s zeal. He is far from a weeping willow! Originally named Saul, Paul was a strict Pharisee with great devotion to the Mosaic Law. He was a Roman citizen from Tarsus. His passion for his ancestral faith moved him to fiercely persecute the early Christian church. He approved of the stoning of St. Stephen. He hunted down Christians, removing them from their homes.
Paul is brutally honest in that he was more zealous for his ancestral traditions than his peers. Interestingly, he says that from his mother’s womb the Lord had set him apart and called him by grace. In other words, Paul’s apostleship for Christ was not because of his human achievement or choice. Instead, it was a divine calling – a choice from birth – to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ far and wide.
God’s choice is extraordinarily mysterious to me. Ephesians 1:4-5 says that God chose us before the foundation of the world. About a year ago I regularly wondered, “Lord, why did you choose me to serve you as a priest?” I was struggling a bit seeing so many beautiful families and how normal and life-giving their lives seemed to me. I remember asking the Lord, “Is there a reason you chose me?” I waited patiently and then one day, out of the blue, His tender voice said as I was walking out of the house, “From all eternity I chose you.” “Okay, that’s enough for me.” 🙂
How often did St. Paul wonder, “Why in the world did you choose me?” He must have had many nights, especially when times were difficult, of reflecting on the mystery of God’s will in choosing him. It is estimated that Paul walked over 10,000 miles (about 20 miles a day) visiting more than 50 Biblical cities across the Mediterranean region during his four missionary journeys. That is a lot of time to think!
One thing is certain, i.e., God equips and sustains those who He has chosen with the gifts of the Holy Spirit for specific tasks. God’s power is perfected in weakness (2 Cor. 12:9) and His gifts and call are irrevocable (Rom. 11:29). Sometimes, we say, “If God calls you to it, then He will see you through it.”
On a personal note, I like the analogy of the bowling alley. Find your lane (God’s will for you) and by God’s grace, knock down as many pins for Jesus as you can. You may bowl some gutter balls now and then. However, pick up the bowling ball again and knock down as many pins as you can. Once you discover God’s will, be of great peace that He will give you all that you need!
~St. Thérèse, pray for us!