(Audio)
Go, for this man is a chosen instrument of mine
to carry my name before Gentiles, kings, and children of Israel,
and I will show him what he will have to suffer for my name.
Jesus has big plans for Paul. He has big plans for us as well.
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future (see Jeremiah 29:11).
Like Paul, we are called to carry the name of Jesus to the world. Like Paul we will have to suffer for his name, but Paul teaches us that it is worth it.
But perhaps we're still overly invested in our own plans for the LORD to use us as he desires. Perhaps our plans might not be as great as we imagine them to be.
"Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?"
When we try to figure out what to do on our own with no reference to God we tend to end up hurting ourselves and one another. The trouble is that we think we see clearly when we do not. Jesus wants to fulfill his plans for us. He is not content to leave us in our illusions. If Jesus wants to shake us free let us welcome him.
Saul got up from the ground,
but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing;
What Saul thought he could see he could now no longer see. But Jesus had revealed himself, so nothing was the same. All that he had because of his former ability and plan he now counted as loss (see Philippians 3:8).
We don't just need one moment of getting knocked to the ground by the light. Every time we're heading in the wrong direction it is a mercy. It is an occasion of grace where we come closer to Jesus and begin to know him better.
We don't see Jesus in the Eucharist with the sight of our eyes. Yet whenever we come before him we have the opportunity to be enlightened by his light. We receive eternal life. Suddenly our personal plans seem less relevant. The Kingdom and the Name become the most important things to us. We eat, like Saul, and recover our strength.
Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
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