Tag: acts 9:4

Posted in CONFESSION/PENANCE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 25 January – Rise from the Dead

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 25 January – Feast of the Conversion of St Paul, Apostle – Acts 9:1-22, Matthew 19:27-29 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”

Acts 9:4

“Awake, O Sleeper and Rise from the Dead”

Ephesians 5:14

“It is written, ‘God is not mocked.’ (Gal 6: 7)
Indeed, God cannot be mocked,
nor circumvented, nor deluded
by any man’s astute deceit. …
Let each of you, then, I beg you, brethren,
confess his fault while the sinner is yet in this world,
while Confession is still possible,
while the satisfaction and remission
granted by the Priests,
is still acceptable to God!”

St Cyprian of Carthage (c200-258)
Martyr, Bishop of Carthage,
Father of the Church

“Let us then, my brethren, endure in hope.
Let us devote ourselves, side-by-side with our hoping,
so that the God of all the universe,
as He beholds our intention,
may cleanse us from all sins,
fill us with high hopes from what we have in hand
and grant us the change of heart which saves.
God has called you and you have your calling!”

St Cyril of Jerusalem (315-387)
Father and Doctor of the Church

“O Heavenly Father, have compassion for my cry
as Thou did for the prodigal son,
for I, too, am throwing myself at Thy feet
and crying aloud as he cried:
“Father, I have sinned!”
Do not reject me,
Thy unworthy child, O my Saviour
but cause Thy Angels
to rejoice too, on my behalf,
O God of goodness Thou,
Who desires that all should be saved.”

St Romanos Melodios (c490-c556)
Monk, Composer of hymns, Poet

“Truly, matters in the world,
are in a bad state
but if you and I begin, in earnest,
to reform ourselves,
a really good beginning
will have been made.”

St Peter of Alcantara (1499-1562)

Posted in AUGUSTINIANS OSA, CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, GOD ALONE!, I BELIEVE!, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on THE VOICE OF GOD, QUOTES on THE WORLD, St PAUL!, The LAMB of GOD, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 25 January – ‘… At the very moment he no longer saw anything of this world, he saw Jesus! … ‘

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 25 January – The Feast of the Conversion of St Paul, Apostle – Acts 9:1-22, Matthew 19:27-29 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“He fell to the ground and heard a Voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” – Acts 9:4.

REFLECTION – “From Heaven’s height Christ’s Voice overturned Saul. He received a command to carry out his persecutions no more and fell face downwards to the ground. He had first to be knocked down and afterwards raised up – first struck, then healed. For Christ would never have come to live in him, if Saul had not died to his former life of sin. Cast down to the earth in this way, what was it he heard? “Saul, Saul, why are thou persecuting Me? It is hard for thou to kick against the goad” (Acts 9:4-5). And he replied: “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Voice from on high continued: “I am Jesus of Nazareth, Whom thou art persecuting.” The members are still on the ground, while the Head cries out, from the heights of Heaven. He is not saying: “Why art thou persecuting My servants?” but “Why art thou persecuting Me!?”

And Paul, who had put all his energy into his persecutions, is already preparing to obey: “What do Thou want me to do?” The persecutor is already transformed into the preacher, the wolf has become a sheep, the enemy, a defender. Paul learns what he is to do – if he has become blind, if this world’s light is held back from him for a while, it is so as to make the light within shine in his heart. Light is taken away from the persecutor, so that it may be given to the preacher; at the very moment he no longer saw anything of this world, he saw Jesus! This symbolises the believer – those who believe in Christ, must fix the eyes of their soul on Him, without paying attention to outward things…

So Saul was led to Ananias – the ravaging wolf is led to the sheep. But the Shepherd, Who guides everything from Heaven above, reassures him… “Do not fear, I will show him what he will have to suffer, for My Name’s sake” (Acts 9:16). What wonder is this! The wolf is led, a captive, to the sheep… The Lamb who died for the sheep, teaches it not to be afraid any more!” – St Augustine (354-430) Bishop, Father and Doctor of Grace of the Church (Sermon 279).

PRAYER – O God, Who taught the whole world by the preaching of Thy blessed Apostle Paul, grant, we beseech Thee that we, who today celebrate his conversion, may draw closer to Thee, by way of hia example.Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).