Yesterday our Church celebrated the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul.
Saul got knocked off of his horse - literally and metaphorically - and became an apostle of Christ. He went from fighting against the Way to fighting for it, working alongside Peter, John and the other apostles to "Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature" (Mk. 16:15).
He composed over 25% of the New Testament and in doing so helped to unify the teachings of the early Church across various lands and communities.
In many ways, St. Paul stands as one of the greatest saints of the Church. Ironically, though, Paul means "little one." Saul, his former name, translates as "one who is asked for" or "great one."
It wasn't until Saul was willing to be little and become Paul that he would truly become great.
It wasn't until he gave his life completely to Christ, that Paul became more than what he could be on his own.
Today we celebrate the Feast of Saints Timothy and Titus, two of St. Paul's students and associates, who helped to spread the Gospel to the whole world. In his second letter to Timothy, Paul encourages Timothy "to stir into flame the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control" (2 Timothy 1:6-7).
Power. Love. Self-control.
We were made for more. We were made for God.
In the words of Pope Benedict XVI, “Humans were created for greatness - for God himself; we were created to be filled by God. But our hearts are too small for the greatness to which they are destined. They must be stretched” (Spe Salvi, 2007, #33).
Let us stretch our hearts and allow them to be stretched by our God who wants to fill us with more of Himself.
Stir into flame the gift of God that we have received so that we can become who He created us to be.
If you're baptized, the Holy Spirit courses through your veins. Christ claimed you as His own and set you aside for a definite purpose. Receiving Christ in the Eucharist brings us into an even more intimate relationship with Him, and offers us the grace - the spirit of Christ - to more fully become who He created us to be. Confirmation galvanizes these gifts, reinforcing them, and strengthening them in ways that more fully develop and entrench His unique stamp on us.
I’ve often thought of this unique spirit as a charism - special grace (or unmerited gift) given by the Holy Spirit for some specific service to the world. Confirmation helps us to discern what our unique charism is and awakens it in us so that we can use it in service to the world.
You were made on purpose for excellence.
You were made for more.
You were made for God.
Sts. Paul, Timothy, and Titus, pray for us!
