YEAR OF SAINT PAUL     By Gerry Mader    Ninth in a series of Reflections on the Life of Saint Paul   For the Jubilee Year of St. Paul June 28, 2008-June 29, 2009

The Courageous Witness of St. Paul

by Gerry Mader

Proclaim the word; be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient (2 Tm 4:2).

Paul could not have exhorted Timothy unless he had lived the very thing he was asking Timothy to do in his instructions. Paul was compelled to witness and proclaim the Gospel whether it was in a king’s court (Acts 26:19-23) or in prison with Silas (Acts16:25 -34). He would debate the Greek philosophers (Acts 17:23-33) or proclaim the Messiah to the Jews before being arrested and taken into a Roman camp (Acts 23:6-11).

Throughout the New Testament, we hear Paul retelling his story to whomever will listen and he adapts his witness to his audience.  He says he will proclaim the gospel to each group in such a way as to bring many to Christ.

      “Although I am free in regard to all, I have made myself a slave to all so as to win over as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew to win over the Jews; to those under the law I became like those under the law – though I myself am not under the law – to win over those under the law. To those outside the law I become like one outside the law – though I am not outside God’s law but within the law of Christ – to win over those outside the law. To the weak, I have become weak, to win over the weak. I have become all things to all, to save at least some. All this I do for the sake of the gospel, so that I may have a share in it” (1 Cor 9:19-26).

As we go through the Acts of the Apostles we hear Paul telling the story over and over again about his conversion on the road to Damascus. Paul knew that he was totally changed by an encounter with Christ so powerful that it knocked him down. He knew in the power of the Holy Spirit, the reality of the Messiah – that the Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament was this Jesus whom he had encountered.

When he reached Damascus, “He stayed some days with the disciples ... he began at once to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God. All who heard Him were astounded and said, ‘Is not this the man who in Jerusalem ravaged those who called upon this name…” (Acts 9: 20ff).

Talk about courage, Paul now baptized with the Holy Spirit, goes to the very place he had persecuted the new movement but instead of harassing them and jailing them he “confounds them” by proclaiming Jesus as the Messiah and the resurrected Son of God.    

Paul’s journey from start to finish was witnessing to the powerful experience he had on the road to Damascus. He never forgot the origin of his new faith in God.

Paul challenged the false prophet and preached in the synagogues of Antioch. He   traced the line of Jesus through the Old Testament and demonstrated that Jesus was the one for whom they had been waiting and many Jews were converted to Judaism.  But within a week the same leaders, who had let him speak, were now jealous of the large crowds who had gathered to hear Paul and his companion Barnabus. Paul teaches us by his courage that we are to proclaim the good news we have found with conviction and purpose. In 2 Corinthians 11:24-26, Paul lists all the hardships he has endured which include being imprisoned, being thrown overboard and being beaten.    

Most of us will not be called before the church leaders to defend what we have experienced; most of us will not go to jail for proclaiming the gospel and most of us will not be required to give up our lives for proclaiming our experience with Christ; but we are called to proclaim it wherever God has placed us. Whatever our story is, it is the story that can be used to change the hearts of those to whom we are sent.

Paul exhorted Timothy and he also exhorts us:

“For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather of power and self control. So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord...” (2 Tm 1:7).

Telling our conversion story takes courage and spiritual courage comes from the Holy Spirit. This is courage that goes beyond our human ability to proclaim God’s truth and so we need to pray:

                  Come Holy Spirit and remove the scales from my eyes.

                  Fill me with the fullness of God’s love.

                  Fill me with Holy boldness.

      Give me the wisdom I need to know how to witness to the person before  

    me.

      Give me the courage to speak out when I am afraid and not to fear the

    consequences.

                  St. Paul, pray for me that I may be a courageous witness to the Gospel.                                 

 © March 2009 National Service Committee