THE CONVERSION OF SAINT PAUL THE APOSTLE (FEAST)

About noon a great light from the sky suddenly shone around me. 

Why did Paul mention the time of day when he first encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus? It was a small detail, but he included it as part of his testimony before the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem. Perhaps the answer lies in what Ananias said to Paul after he regained his sight: “You will be [God’s] witness before all to what you have seen and heard” (Acts 22:15). Paul was witnessing to the risen Jesus, and in his life-changing encounter with the Lord, the details mattered.

The same holds true for any eyewitness. If we’ve witnessed a crime, for example, recalling and sharing the details allow a fuller picture of the truth to emerge. As witnesses, we recall what we have seen and heard—including the small things—about God’s goodness and grace so that we can give others a fuller picture of the truth of who he is. Not only Paul, but the Gospel writers as well, often added seemingly insignificant details in their accounts of how Jesus had manifested himself in people’s lives—the when, the where, the how. Such details give credence and concreteness to the stories they tell and bring them to life.

Becoming conscious of God’s activity around you (and giving him credit for it!) is the beginning of becoming his witness. For example, maybe a friend reached out to you with a phone call when you needed to unburden some worry you were harboring that day. A small incident, yes, but it showed God’s compassion for you. Or you might recall how a hymn sung at Mass moved you and made you grateful for God’s love. It was just one song, yes, but it helped you realize how much God loves you.

The more we can see God’s hand in our everyday circumstances, the more natural it becomes to share these small personal “testimonies” about what we have seen and heard with other people. You don’t have to have a dramatic conversion story like Paul’s to be a witness. You just have to be alert to the details in your life!

“Lord, help me be a witness to others of your goodness.”

Psalm 117:1-2
Mark 16:15-18
Acts 22:3-16