Anything under the Sun
St. Paul – Apostle of the Gentiles (3)
Legacy of St. Paul
1. We started this series saying that St. Paul is the Apostle of the Gentiles. This was because he strongly advocated that the teachings of Christ in the Gospel are not limited for the Jews – but for all the peoples of the world. He was committed deeply to tracking the Gentiles (non-Jews).
That's why he made many missionary journeys to the then known world of Greece and Rome. His Greek and Roman converts and their descendants were mainly responsible for spreading Christianity to Europe who still later, spread it to America and Asia.
So, without St. Paul, Christianity would have been limited only to Israel where it was considered then as mere radical subject of Judaism under the Mosaic Law. Because of him, Christianity became a major religion of the world. In fact, it was in Antioch (Cilicia) where the word “Christians” was first used to describe the followers of Christ.
2. In the dramatic instant conversion of St. Paul at the outskirts of Damascus thru Divine Will, when Jesus asked him “Why are you persecuting me?, Saul asked in return “Who are you, sir? Jesus replied I'm Jesus whom you are persecuting.”
What's the deeper meaning of this conversation? It simply means that the followers of Christ (the Church) and Jesus are one. This leads to the doctrine that our Mother Church (which is actually us, the faithful) is the Mystical Body of Christ.
3. The life of St. Paul gives us an excellent example of how to become a real missionary for Jesus. In his own words, he described in his letter to the Corinthians, his having endured: “labours... imprisonment... beatings... numerous brushes with death... three times I was beaten with rods, Once I was stoned, three times. I was shipwrecked, I passed a night and a day on deep; on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers... robbers... my own race... Gentiles... in the city... in the wilderness... at sea... among false brothers; in toil and hardships, thru many sleepless nights, thru hunger and thirst, thru frequent fastings, cold and exposure, and apart from these things there is the daily pressure upon me of my anxiety for all the Churches.”
4. St. Paul also performed miracles to strengthen the faith of early Christians in the teachings of Christ. Thus, in Ephesus, he raised to life a young man Euthychus, face clothes and aprons that touched his skin healed the sick and he drove evil spirits from the possessed.
5. St. Paul described to us what is true and real conversion. In a sentence he said: “I live no longer, but Christ lives in me.”
Explaining this further, he wrote the Romans: “Neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Conclusion
Lastly, let us heed the message of Pope Benedict XVI during his homily on June 28, 2007 when he declared the Jubilee Year of St. Paul:
“Christ needs apostles ready to sacrifice themselves. He needs witnesses and martyrs like St. Paul, Paul, a former violent persecutor of Christians when he fell to the ground dazzled by the divine light on the road to Damascus did not change sides to the Crucified One and followed Him without second thoughts. He lived and worked for Christ, for Him he suffered and died. How timely his example is today!”
****
NOW AVAILABLE – Following volumes of Interesting Facts About West Visayas by this writer: The titles are, Vol. 1 – The Maragtas; Vol. 2 – Malay Civilization and Culture; Vol. 3 – Commerce & Industry; Vol. 5 – Evangelization; Vol. 10 – Tourism; and Vol. 11 – World War II in Panay. For information, write the writer in 4 Santa Ana Street, Molo, Iloilo City or call up tel. no. 337-3045.
These series are authorized as reference books in private and public schools per Regional Memorandum No. 60 dated May 25, 1993 of the DepEd Region 6.