A Brief Background on St. Paul
By: Luis Nava
“He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” (Acts of the Apostles 9:4). How many times in our own lives do we hear the voice of God asking us why we are persecuting Him? There are certainly areas that we can all improve in, and, as St. Paul shows us, we can change those ways! We must allow the Holy Spirit to work through us, working hard and trusting God to help us.
Saul was born in Tarsus, near present-day Turkey, and he was educated as a Pharisee, meaning that he became extremely knowledgeable in Scripture and Jewish law. During his upbringing in a Pharisee environment, he used Saul because of the name’s rich Jewish history, but after his conversion, when he goes on to preach in other regions, he uses the name Paul (his Latin name), which was common in the wider Mediterranean region. He was a student of Gamaliel, a well-respected Pharisee who is referenced in the Acts of the Apostles (this is also where we learn that Paul was his student), and Saul was also a Roman citizen. A lesser-known fact is that he also learned curtain-weaving, which was his father’s job. Prior to his conversion, Saul persecuted the early Christians aggressively, wishing to suppress what he believed to be a threat to Judaism. However, on the road to Damascus, he saw a light from the sky, “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.” (Acts of the Apostles 9:4-6). After hearing Jesus’ voice and rising from the ground, St. Paul is left unable to see, so he is led to Damascus, where for three days he does not eat or drink.
Then, Ananias, a disciple living in Damascus, receives a vision that he must go and lay hands on Paul to help him recover his sight. At first, Ananias is reluctant to go, knowing of Paul’s reputation for persecuting Christians; however, the Lord reassures Ananias, who then visits Paul and lays his hands on him, causing “things like scales” to fall from Paul’s eyes. Paul, having regained his sight, gets baptized, eats in order to recover his strength, and begins proclaiming the name of Jesus in the synagogues. From then on, St. Paul would travel all over modern-day Turkey, Greece, and Italy, covering vast parts of the Mediterranean region.
St. Paul authored thirteen books of the Bible, including the epistles (from the Greek word for “letter”) among which are Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, and Philippians. Throughout his travels, St. Paul engaged with the people from different cultural backgrounds, conveying the message of salvation in ways that they could understand. For example, St. Paul quotes a Greek poet and informs the Athenians that the “Unknown God” that they built shrines to was indeed Jesus Christ. This points to St. Paul’s vast historical knowledge.
St. Paul’s conversion story serves as a reminder that we are all God’s children, and that God has a plan for each and every one of us. We all sin, but God’s mercy is greater than our sins, and He calls us to repentance. He wants us to be His instruments, like St. Paul, sowing peace where there is hostility, unity where there is division, and gratitude where there is arrogance. Let us ask Mary for her intercession, that we may grow closer to her son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and be always open to the working of the Holy
Spirit.
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