Chotard Doll

Dear Companions on the way,

Psalm 67:1 May God be gracious to us and bless us, and make his face to shine upon us.

Today the church celebrates the conversion of St. Paul, confronted on the road to Damascus by the transforming encounter with Jesus. He is appointed the apostle to the Gentiles, and at this point our Christian history is joined with Israel’s history: the prediction of the Messiah is fulfilled.

Although Paul suffered constant persecution and rejection and died in prison for his teaching, he radiates the joy and wonder of the mystery of God revealed in Jesus the Christ.

We all have reasons to be grateful to Paul, who never hesitated in his appointed task. We owe him through the grace of God for much of our understanding of the nature of our salvation through Christ. Thanks be to God.

O God, who taught the whole world through the teaching 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. Amen.

Faithfully,

—Chotard