25 January

THE CONVERSION OF SAINT PAUL THE APOSTLE

Feast
Entrance Antiphon 2 Timothy 1: 12; 4: 8
I know the one in whom I have believed
and I am sure that he, the just judge, the mighty,
will keep safe what is my due until that day.

Introduction to the Celebration

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity concludes with the celebration of
the famous moment on the road to Damascus, the most extraordinary
conversion in the life of the early Church – the Conversion of Saint Paul
– his transformation from persecutor to ardent apostle, which began on
the road to Damascus – has its own feast. In the sense it is our feast, for
without Saint Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, we might never have
heard the Good News.

On this feast, we thank God for the difference Saint Paul’s conversion
made to the early history of Christianity. Conversion means turning –
turning towards the light, being transformed, being changed for the
better. Usually it’s much more slow and gradual than Paul’s, but no less
real.

We begin by opening ourselves to conversion – acknowledging our sins

before God and His people. We let God transform our lives and believe
in our capacity to transform and allow God to lead us.

The Gloria in excelsis (Glory to God in the highest) is said.

Collect
O God, who taught the whole world
through the preaching of the blessed Apostle Paul,
draw us, we pray, nearer to you
through the example of him whose conversion we celebrate today,
and so make us witnesses to your truth in the world.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
Amen.

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First Reading Acts of the Apostles 22: 3-6
Paul addressed the people in these words:
“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia,
but brought up in this city.
At the feet of Gamaliel I was educated strictly in our ancestral law
and was zealous for God, just as all of you are today.
I persecuted this Way to death,
binding both men and women and delivering them to prison.
Even the high priest and the whole council of elders
can testify on my behalf.
For from them I even received letters to the brothers
and set out for Damascus to bring back to Jerusalem
in chains for punishment those there as well.

“On that journey as I drew near to Damascus,

about noon a great light from the sky suddenly shone around me.
I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me,
‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’
I replied, ‘Who are you, sir?’
And he said to me,
‘I am Jesus the Nazorean whom you are persecuting.’
My companions saw the light
but did not hear the voice of the one who spoke to me.
I asked, ‘What shall I do, sir?’
The Lord answered me, ‘Get up and go into Damascus,
and there you will be told about everything
appointed for you to do.’ 
Since I could see nothing because of the brightness of that light,
I was led by hand by my companions and entered Damascus.

“A certain Ananias, a devout observer of the law,

and highly spoken of by all the Jews who lived there,
came to me and stood there and said,
‘Saul, my brother, regain your sight.’
And at that very moment I regained my sight and saw him.
Then he said,
‘The God of our ancestors designated you to know his will,
to see the Righteous One, and to hear the sound of his voice;
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for you will be his witness before all
to what you have seen and heard.
Now, why delay?
Get up and have yourself baptized and your sins washed away,
calling upon his name.’”

or

Acts of the Apostles 9:1-22

Saul, still breathing murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord,
went to the high priest and asked him
for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, that,
if he should find any men or women who belonged to the Way,
he might bring them back to Jerusalem in chains.
On his  journey, as he was nearing Damascus,
a light from the sky suddenly flashed around him.
He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him,
“Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”
He said, “Who are you, sir?”
The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do.” 
The men who were traveling with him stood speechless,
for they heard the voice but could see no one.
Saul got up from the ground,
but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing;
so they led him by the hand and brought him to Damascus.
For three days he was unable to see, and he neither ate nor drank.

There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias,

and the Lord said to him in a vision, Ananias.”
He answered,
“Here I am, Lord.”
The Lord said to him,
Get up and go to the street called Straight
and ask at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul. 
He is there praying,
and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias
come in and lay his hands on him,
that he may regain his sight.”

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But Ananias replied,
“Lord, I have heard from many sources about this man,
what evil things he has done to your holy ones in Jerusalem.
And here he has authority from the chief priests
to imprison all who call upon your name.”
But the Lord said to him,
“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.”
So Ananias went and entered the house;
laying his hands on him, he said,
“Saul, my brother, the Lord has sent me,
Jesus who appeared to you on the way by which you came,
that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
Immediately things like scales fell from his eyes
and he regained his sight.
He got up and was baptized,
and when he had eaten, he recovered his strength.

He stayed some days with the disciples in Damascus,

and he began at once to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues,
that he is the Son of God.
All who heard him were astounded and said, 
“Is not this the man who in Jerusalem
ravaged those who call upon this name,
and came here expressly to take them back in chains
to the chief priests?”
But Saul grew all the stronger
and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus,
proving that this is the Christ.

Responsorial Psalm 117:1bc, 2

Psalm 117 is the shortest psalm in the whole psalter, a sending for and a shout of praise.

R.        (Mark 16:15)  Go out to all the world, and tell the Good News.
or:
R.        Alleluia, alleluia.

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Praise the Lord, all you nations;
            glorify him, all you peoples!

For steadfast is his kindness toward us,

            and the fidelity of the Lord endures forever.

Alleluia see John 15:16

Alleluia, alleluia.
I chose you from the world,
to go and bear fruit that will last, says the Lord.
Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Mark 16:15-18

The Gospel is the great commission form Mark’s account. The risen Lord appears to the
eleven and sends them out into the world to preach and to baptize and to work the
same wonders that Jesus Himself worked among them – healing and casting our
demons. Like Saint Paul’s encounter with the risen Christ on road to Damascus, Jesus
appearance to His disciples both conforms their faith and gives a mission.
Jesus appeared to the Eleven and said to them:
“Go into the whole world
and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved;
whoever does not believe will be condemned.
These signs will accompany those who believe:
in my name they will drive out demons,
they will speak new languages.
They will pick up serpents with their hands,
and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them.
They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” 

Prayer of the Faithful

For the conversion of every Christian heart to the wishes of the

Master so that all may be one flock with one Shepherd. We pray.

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 For all who are oppressed and persecuted by their fellow men and
women, that they may be brought to the moment of their own
Damascus encounter with Jesus, who suffers in and along with
their victims. We pray.

For missionary vocation, that many young men and women may be
inspired by the Lord’s command to go out into the world and
proclaim the Good News to all peoples. We pray.

For all who have asked our prayers, for the homeless, the sick, the
addicted, and the imprisoned, that they may experience the power
of grace how steadfast is the kindness of the Lord. We pray.

For people we know who are struggling with change, people who
are trying to change for the better, people who are unable to let go.
May they find God’s support in our support.

For those who have died, that they may come face to face with their
Savior in the kingdom of heaven. We pray.

II
My friends, today we honour the great Apostle Paul who took the gospel
of Christ to the nations and offered his life as a sacrifice of love.

That Pope Francis will continue to lead the Church in its mission of
evangelization, so that with the dedication and energy of Saint
Paul, the name and love of Jesus will be proclaimed. Lord, hear us

That missionaries, who like Saint Paul, take the message of Christ
to those who have never heard his Name, may be urged on by the
charity of Christ. Lord, hear us.

That those who reject, persecute, or ridicule Christians, may come

to a greater respect for the basic human right of freedom of
religion. Lord, hear us.

That those in who honour Saint Paul as patron: may be strong in

their faith in Jesus Christ and may live the Christian life with

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 dedication, committing themselves to the unity of the Church.
Lord, hear us.

Eternal God,
may the whole world come to know the saving love and Good news of
Jesus Christ,
who is Lord, for ever and ever.

III
Reflecting on the conversion of Saint Paul, let us with confidence place
our needs and the needs of this community before the Lord.

That the Church may be healed of her divisions and factions and
thus proclaim the Word of God with one heart and one voice. We
pray.

For all those whose decision affect the lives of others, that guided
by the spirit of Christ, they may seek peace and justice by word
and example. We pray.

For all of us who have accepted the Gospel of Christ, that we might
not count the cost of our discipleship but rely upon the Lord to
sustain and strengthen us. We pray.

That we will experience Saint Paul’s zeal to spread the message of

Christ we pray.

That those who suffer for Christ and his message; for those who
seek his presence and saving power, and for all who look to the
Church for the healing power of Christ, that we may not be
disappointed and be ever sustained by God’s love. We pray.

That we may acclaim Jesus as our Savior and Lord through works
which manifests his Spirit – compassion, forgiveness, mercy and
joy. We pray.

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Father,
You have given us model of faith and courage in the life of Saint Paul;
through his intercession hear the needs of Your people
and grant them through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Prayer over the Offerings

As we celebrate the divine mysteries, O Lord, we pray,
may the Spirit fill us with that light of faith
with which he constantly enlightened the blessed Apostle Paul
for the spreading of your glory.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Preface I of the Apostles

The Apostles, shepherds of God's people
The following Preface is said in Masses of the Apostles, especially of Saints Peter and
Paul.

It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation,

always and everywhere to give you thanks,
Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God.

For you, eternal Shepherd, do not desert your flock,

but through the blessed Apostles
watch over it and protect it always,
so that it may be governed
by those you have appointed shepherds
to lead it in the name of your Son.

And so, with Angels and Archangels,

with Thrones and Dominions,
and with all the hosts and Powers of heaven,
we sing the hymn of your glory,
as without end we acclaim:

Communion Antiphon Cf. Galatians 2: 20

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I live by faith in the Son of God,
who has loved me
and given himself up for me.

Prayer after Communion

May the Sacrament we have received, O Lord our God,
stir up in us that fire of charity
with which the blessed Apostle Paul burned ardently
as he bore his concern for all the Churches.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Solemn Blessing
May God, who has granted you
to stand firm on apostolic foundations,
graciously bless you through the glorious merits
of the holy Apostle, Paul.

Amen.
And may he, who endowed you
with the teaching and example of the Apostles,
make you, under their protection,
witnesses to the truth before all.
Amen.

So that through the intercession of the Apostles,

you may inherit the eternal homeland,
for by their teaching you possess firmness of faith.

Amen.
And may the blessing of almighty God,
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
come down on you and remain with you for ever.
Amen.