Liturgy Alive Conversion of Saint Paul, the Apostle

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Saturday, January 25, 2020

 

Conversion of Saint Paul, the Apostle
Feasts - 
January 25

Introduction

Paul’s conversion must have been a tremendous change of mentality for him, a real conversion. Not only did a Jew who became a Christian at the same time become an outcast to his people, as he was considered a renegade, a traitor, but Paul had also been a rabbi, a Pharisee, a rabid persecutor of Christians.

And now he follows Jesus. Christ has become his life. Like his Lord, he sits at table with sinners and tax collectors and pagans. From now on his life is given to Christ and his kingdom, a community in which there is no more distinction between Greek and barbarian, between slaves and free citizens, between men and women, and especially between Jew and non-Jew.

Opening Prayer

Lord our God, Father of all
let our celebration today
of the conversion of Saint Paul
become for us too, a deep experience
of conversion and encounter with you.
Let this feast make us more aware
that whatever evil we do to others, 
we do to you
and the good we do, the love we show,
we give also to you.
Like St. Paul,  make us love everyone.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.


Intentions

–   For unity in the Church and in our world, that people from all races, cultures and social classes may fully accept one another as children of the same heavenly Father, we pray:

–   For those who persecute people because of their religion, that the prayers and death of the martyrs may change their hearts, we pray:

–   For those who are persecuted because of their faith, that they may remain steadfast believers, we pray:

–   For all of us, that Christ may be and remain our life and the meaning of what we are and do, we pray:

Prayer over the Gifts

Father of all,
may the day come that all of humankind,
wherever they live, whoever they are,
in all their variety and gifts,
may know your Son Jesus Christ,
listen to his word and eat from his table.
Let your whole Church today
continue the work of St. Paul
with great zeal and conviction.
This we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Prayer after Communion

God of all people and nations,
may everyone deeply encounter your Son Jesus 
and may he become the life of all.
May he indeed live in us,
in our joys and sorrows,
in our hopes and aspirations,
in our loves and  friendships.
Let him be the light and the meaning
of what we are and do.
In this way let us attract everyone
to Jesus Christ our Lord.

Blessing

After the conversion of Paul, Ananias told him: “You are to be the witness before all humankind of the Just One, Christ, testifying to what you have seen and heard.” We have to testify to the one we have met, Christ, with the blessing of almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

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