May 5 2006

Acts 9:1-20 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 Ananiascome in and lay his hands on him, that he may regain his sight.” 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 eyesand 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. This reading is striking me today as a reminder of the hope of conversion for all. Saul was on his way to persecute many of the early Christians. In the midst of his mission of suffering and destruction he is confronted with the voice of Jesus and a sudden blinding. It is ironic that the blinding is what opened his eyes to the Spirit. The Spirit to me is the love of others in the midst of whatever the circumstances and place may be from within and with the gift of grace from God. It is a compassion for others that knows no bounds and can conquer any evil. It is the Way of Jesus that gives life and light to the world.
It brings to mind memories for me whenever I read this because at one point, as a nurse I worked in a large inner city substance abuse center run by the Paterson Diocese on Straight Street in Paterson. People would call all hours of the night in all sorts of conditions and some would present themselves at our door at all hours stumbling and falling and vomiting. The staff would look at the video image from the camera at the door and confer with each other including the orderlies who were recovering addicts and decide if it was safe to let the person in and would this be someone who might be able to recover. I learned so much about life and conversion from the shared life experiences that I lived in that place. My heart goes out to anyone who feels trapped by their life circumstances and I pray today that those people in the world today might see a ray of light of hope.