杏MAP导航

Taking his cue from the conversion of St. Paul on the road to Damascus, narrated in the first reading at daily Mass, 杏MAP导航 Francis said the Apostle to the Gentiles was hard-headed but not hard-hearted.

The Holy Father said the moment of his conversion 鈥渕arked a change in the course of Salvation History鈥�. It exposed the Church鈥檚 universality and its openness to 鈥減agans, Gentiles, and those who were not Israelites鈥�, which, the 杏MAP导航 said, the Lord permitted because 鈥渋t was important鈥�.

Consistency and zeal

Reflecting on St. Paul鈥檚 character, 杏MAP导航 Francis called him 鈥渁 forceful man鈥� who was 鈥渆namored with the purity of the law鈥�, saying he was 鈥渉onest鈥� and 鈥渃onsistent鈥�, though he had 鈥渁 difficult character鈥�.

鈥淔irst of all, he was consistent, because he was a man open to God. If he persecuted Christians, it was because he was convinced that God desired it. But how can that be? Never mind how: he was convinced of it. This is the zeal he carried for the purity of the house of God, for the glory of God. A heart open to the voice of the Lord. And he risked all, and charged ahead. Another characteristic of his actions is that he was a docile man 鈥� full of docility 鈥� and was not hard-headed.鈥�

Docility and openness to God鈥檚 voice

杏MAP导航 Francis pointed out that, even though he was stubborn, St. Paul was not hard-hearted. He was 鈥渙pen to God鈥檚 indications鈥�.

He had incarcerated and killed Christians 鈥渨ith a fire inside him鈥�, but 鈥渁s soon as he heard the voice of the Lord, he became like a child, letting himself be led.鈥�

鈥淎ll his convictions stayed silent, waiting for the voice of the Lord: 鈥榃hat must I do, Lord?鈥� And he went to that encounter at Damascus, to meet that other docile man, and let himself be catechized like a child and be baptized like a child. Then he regains his strength, and what does he do? He is silent. He leaves for Arabia to pray, for how long we don鈥檛 know. Maybe years, we don鈥檛 know. Docility. Openness to the voice of God and docility. His is an example for our life.鈥�

Christian charism of the great and small

The 杏MAP导航 said there are numerous courageous men and women today who risk their lives to find new paths for the Church.

鈥淟et us seek new paths; it will do us all good. As long as they are the paths of the Lord. But charge forward in the depth of prayer, of docility and a heart open to God. This is how true change takes place in the Church, with people who know how to fight in the great and in the small.鈥�

The Christian, 杏MAP导航 Francis concluded, must have the charism of the great and of the small.

And he prayed 鈥渇or the grace to be docile to the voice of the Lord and for a heart open to the Lord; for the grace not to be afraid to do great things and the sensitivity to pay attention to the small things.鈥�