Saul was upset with the people that belonged to “the Way” (Acts 9:1-2), more than upset he was “breathing murderous threats against the disciples” of the Way. We know very well Saul’s persecution of Christians and then later miraculous conversion that turn this bully into the unlikely disciple of Jesus called St Paul.
Saul was convinced that he had to put down this new “Way” of worshiping and loving God. He was convinced that he was serving God the Father by killing disciples of “the Way”. His soul was yearning to serve God, he was learned and was well regarded by the Jewish high priest. He was sent to Damascus to destroy this “sect” of followers of Jesus.
In his craving to serve God, he is blinded by his own self-righteousness. Him, like many Jews of the time, were stuck in their own ways and could not believe that a Crucified Jesus was the Messiah. But Christ had a plan for Saul that would show the world that Jesus was the true way.
Saul requested the high priest to take the path that leads to Damascus, not knowing that this road was not only the path to Damascus but also it would lead him to the new “Way”. Jesus decided to meet him to give him clarity by taking away his sight for a while. Jesus performs the miracle of conversion from Saul the persecutor, to St Paul the disciple. Jesus not only appears to Saul challenging him on his old ways, but He also gives St Paul many signs, He gives St Paul people to guide him through this conversion, He gives St Paul the new “Way”. It seems that Jesus said to St Paul “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6)
St Paul’s soul is transformed by the light of Jesus Christ and his yearning for God the Father finds a new path. The path to the Father is through the Son, Jesus is the Way. Although his eyes were open, he could not see the real road that led to God, it was necessary for Jesus to blind him so he could take the turn in his life that led him to God.
Similarly, our souls are created by the Father to yearn for Him, created to continuously search for His peace, a peace that only comes when we rest in the arms of our Father. Let’s pray:
God, please bless us with a blind faith, a faith like St Paul’s that in the road to Damascus found the real way to your arms through Jesus, your Son, who is life and resurrection. A faith that blindingly follows Jesus’ way
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