life in the making

Paul's story of conversion is one of the stories in the Bible that really got me. How could someone so ruthless transform into God's servant who didn't mind risking his life to preach about God's truth of love and salvation? It can never be possible with the human heart and understanding. Indeed God's power transcends through all that is possible and impossible, through all that is good and that is bad, through all that is past and what is to come ahead. Today's reading gives me hope with what I have been praying for a few individuals on my list. There is nothing impossible about the way they look at God right now. Just like what he did to Paul, even it would mean maiming their sight for a while, still in the end they will get to know no one else but the one who gave them life. And they will celebrate it by sharing it with everyone they meet in their journey.

Reading 1, Acts 9:1-20

¹ Meanwhile Saul was still breathing threats to slaughter the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest
² and asked for letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, that would authorise him to arrest and take to Jerusalem any followers of the Way, men or women, that he might find.
³ It happened that while he was travelling to Damascus and approaching the city, suddenly a light from heaven shone all round him.
⁴ He fell to the ground, and then he heard a voice saying, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'
⁵ 'Who are you, Lord?' he asked, and the answer came, 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
⁶ Get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you are to do.'
⁷ The men travelling with Saul stood there speechless, for though they heard the voice they could see no one.
⁸ Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing at all, and they had to lead him into Damascus by the hand.
⁹ For three days he was without his sight and took neither food nor drink.
¹⁰ There was a disciple in Damascus called Ananias, and he had a vision in which the Lord said to him, 'Ananias!' When he replied, 'Here I am, Lord,'
¹¹ the Lord said, 'Get up and go to Straight Street and ask at the house of Judas for someone called Saul, who comes from Tarsus. At this moment he is praying,
¹² and has seen a man called Ananias coming in and laying hands on him to give him back his sight.'
¹³ But in response, Ananias said, 'Lord, I have heard from many people about this man and all the harm he has been doing to your holy people in Jerusalem.
¹⁴ He has come here with a warrant from the chief priests to arrest everybody who invokes your name.'
¹⁵ The Lord replied, 'Go, for this man is my chosen instrument to bring my name before gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel;
¹⁶ I myself will show him how much he must suffer for my name.'
¹⁷ Then Ananias went. He entered the house, and laid his hands on Saul and said, 'Brother Saul, I have been sent by the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, so that you may recover your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.'
¹⁸ It was as though scales fell away from his eyes and immediately he was able to see again. So he got up and was baptised,
¹⁹ and after taking some food he regained his strength. After he had spent only a few days with the disciples in Damascus,
²⁰ he began preaching in the synagogues, 'Jesus is the Son of God.'

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Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 117:1, 2

¹ Alleluia! Praise Yahweh, all nations, extol him, all peoples,
² for his faithful love is strong and his constancy never-ending.

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Gospel, John 6:52-59

⁵² Then the Jews started arguing among themselves, 'How can this man give us his flesh to eat?'
⁵³ Jesus replied to them: In all truth I tell you, if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.
⁵⁴ Anyone who does eat my flesh and drink my blood has eternal life, and I shall raise that person up on the last day.
⁵⁵ For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink.
⁵⁶ Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I live in that person.
⁵⁷ As the living Father sent me and I draw life from the Father, so whoever eats me will also draw life from me.
⁵⁸ This is the bread which has come down from heaven; it is not like the bread our ancestors ate: they are dead, but anyone who eats this bread will live for ever.
⁵⁹ This is what he taught at Capernaum in the synagogue.