by Joan Mitchell, CSJ
The theme of call unifies Sunday’s scriptures. A call is a hinge moment that swings open a new direction and purpose in life. Peter is hauling in fish. Isaiah is doing his regular duty in the temple. Saul is actively protecting faith that he values and is trained to teach.
The list Paul hands on in Sunday’s second reading is the oldest part of the New Testament, the earliest creed. It ends with Paul’s dramatic call. A light from heaven strikes him to the ground, and he hears Jesus asking, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” Paul equates his call with Jesus’ Easter appearances to other followers.
“I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day I accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than 500 brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.” The call changes Paul from persecutor to apostle.
I came to appreciate Paul’s vigor when I took a three-week study trip called The Footsteps of Paul. We traveled 5,000 miles by bus from Istanbul southeast across Turkey to Ankara in the center and then Antioch, a city on the Mediterranean coast of Syria. Antioch was homebase for Paul’s three mission trips. Its Christian community supported his trips into Asia Minor, Greece, and Rome. Tarsus, Paul’s hometown, turned our trip west along the southern coast of Turkey.
A trained Jewish rabbi, Paul walked many of the roads we drove. In each city he began his preaching in synagogues and then established Christian communities.
In his first exhortation the Joy of the Gospel Pope Francis reminds the people of the Church that our baptisms call all of us to holiness. “May you come to realize what that word is, the message of Jesus that God wants to speak to the world by your life. Let yourself be transformed. Let yourself be renewed by the Spirit, so that this can happen…” (Gaudate Exultate 24).
- What is your calling? How did you find it? Have you found it?
- What image or words or person pesters you to take your call or vocation farther?