St. Paul and Fr. Paul in 1984

 

There are a few other passions that I enjoy besides my times on the roof in prayer, reflection and relaxation while watching the Great Hudson River flow by on summer evenings. One of those other passions is St. Paul the Apostle. Now that might sound strange coming from a Passionist. We have our own St. Paul, St. Paul of the Cross, who founded the Passionists in 1720. And while I was introduced to St. Paul of the Cross at an early age through my father and great uncle, (who was a Passionist), St. Paul the Apostle was the first St. Paul and the first saint I ever met and you might say my first hero!

It all goes back to a small hardcover book that I was given to me at an early age. The book only had a few pages and there were mostly pictures if my memory serves me right. I was not a big reader so the more pictures the better! The book told the story of the conversion of St. Paul as found in the ninth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. The center pages of the book had a striking picture at least for a little boy of St. Paul falling from a horse with a bright light embracing him all the way to the ground. At the bottom of the page were the famous words, "Saul, Saul why do you persecute me?" The pages that followed showed St. Paul walking with the help of friends because he could no longer see and his cure at the hands of Ananias on a street called Straight!

The book went on to talk about how great St. Paul had become after this encounter with Jesus. That he was a great preacher, a great Apostle and a great friend of God. That he traveled the world bringing the Good News of Jesus to everyone he met and that he died in Rome because he would not give up his faith in God.

Sometimes as I reflect back on my life, I think that this book and the many times I paged through it, read it's story or had the story read to me, was the beginning of my vocation as a Passionist, a priest and especially as a preacher. I can remember sitting in my back yard in Port Vue, Pennsylvania on days when my friends were no where to be found just thinking about becoming another St. Paul, traveling the world and fearlessly preaching about Jesus. Capturing  the  attention of people with a good story, a kind and compassionate word, a challenging speech, a healing touch or with an unrivaled passion for life. I thought of myself getting into tough situations but always finding the right words to get through because I was God's friend. Yet, I also knew that the bad guys would catch up to me and I might not be able to escape but like St. Paul I would stand strong even if it meant death.

It perhaps seems strange that a little boy would include a saint in his dreams amid baseball players, football players, movie and cartoon super heroes. Yet, for me St. Paul sat right in the middle of all the people I dreamed about becoming. Sure most of the time I wanted to be the right fielder of the Pittsburgh Pirates or the next super hero who would bring peace and justice to the world but every once in a while I just wanted to be St. Paul the Apostle, the man Jesus talked to on the road to Damascus and who's name I bear.

I was excited last year when I heard that Pope Benedict was going to name a Holy Year for St. Paul. I remembered the time on my only visit to Rome that I stood very proudly as a young theology student right next to the great statue of St. Paul, found outside the entrance to the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, as a classmate took our picture. I still have that picture and as an older retreat director and preacher now I pull it out on occasion and I guess like that little boy with the book many years ago I dream about my hero St. Paul.

Just a week ago, as I write this, on the vigil of the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul the Holy Year in honor of St. Paul began and I believe it will be a very special year. This Holy Year in honor of St. Paul will give us an opportunity to come to know him a little better, to perhaps reacquaint ourselves with his words, his ministry but most importantly with his passion for life and God. Just after Pope Benedict visited New York I heard people saying how energized they felt by his presence that this was a good thing for people of New York and the United States. Well, I feel the same way about this Holy Year in honor of St. Paul. I think it has the possibility of energizing all of us in our journey of faith. St. Paul was a man of passion and emotion. He was always willing to learn, to pray and to stake his life on the promises of God and he did this with an energy and enthusiasm that I often find missing in my own life and in the Church today.

St. Paul did not stand still on what was happening at the moment or on the traditions of the past. These things were important but St. Paul was always looking and hoping for the next encounter with God as God was made present through his writings, his experiences of life, the people he met, the preaching he did and in St. Paul, himself!

I have a feeling this is going to be a wonderful year up on the roof, as I sit watching the Great Hudson flow by, remembering an old friend who always reminds me that nothing will ever separate me from the love of God which is in the Cross of Christ Jesus. I pray you will have a great summer and a blessed Holy Year in honor of my hero, St. Paul and hopefully come to experience the passion and faith of his life and presence too!

 

You are in my prayers…

Peace in Christ’s Passion ,

Fr. Paul

Sacred River Musings

“St. Paul the Apostle...and Incredible Journey of Faith”

Rejoice in Hope

Be Patient of Suffering

Persevere in Prayer

To Contact Me:

Email: Preachermancp@cs.com