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 loving words  of  expostulation. He did  not  punish  him,  but  forgave him all  his  sins,  accepted  him  as  a disciple,  and  even  raised  him  to be  an  apostle. When He  was  on  earth,  Jesus  was  merciful  to  sinners, and lovingly  went  in  search  of  His  lost  sheep;  and,  now  that  He  is in  glory  in  heaven,  He  is  as  full  as  ever  of  compassion  and  mercy towards sinners.

The power  of  divine  grace.  Our  Blessed  Lord  prevented  Saul  with His grace,  enlightened  his  understanding,  moved  his  heart,  and  prepared his will  to  do  all  that  was  commanded  him. In the  very  midst  of  his sinful career  grace  called  to  Saul  to  stop,  and  changed  his  heart  so completely  that  the  bitter  enemy  of  Jesus  Christ  was  transformed  into an apostle,  all  aglow  with  love;  and  the  persecutor  of  the  Christian faith became  its  indefatigable  defender  and  advocate. Thus St.  Paul was able  to  say  of  himself:  “By  the  grace  of  God  I am  what  I am; and His  grace  in  me  hath  not  been  void,  but  I have  laboured  more abundantly than  they  all:  yet  not  I,  but  the  grace  of  God  with  me” (1 Cor.  15,  10).

We must  correspond  with  grace  if  we  wish  to  be  saved.  In  the passage just  quoted  St.  Paul  says:  “God’s  grace  in  me  hath  not  been void.” In  other  words,  it  was  effectual  because,  instead  of  resisting  it, he co-operated  with  it. He did  not  shut  his  soul  to  the  light  of  grace, but believed  and  submitted  himself  to  the  will  of  God. He repented of his  sins,  fasted,  prayed,  and  prepared  himself  for  holy  Baptism. And after he  was  a Christian  he  did  not  fear  the  scorn  and  hatred  of  the Jews, but  fearlessly  confessed  and  preached  the  Christian  faith.

Prayer for  sinners. The  Church  has  always  held  the  belief  that the conversion  of  Saul  was  in  answer  to  the  prayer  of  St. Stephen. Thus St.  Augustine  writes: “Stephen’s  prayer  was  already  granted  even while Saul  was  still  raging.”  We  should,  therefore,  never  despair  of the  conversion  of  a sinner,  be  he  never  so  far  removed  from  God,  for the mighty  grace  of  God  can  change  his  heart  at  any  moment. Let us then  pray  for  sinners  with  zeal  and  with  confidence,  that  God  may grant to  them  the  grace  of  conversion.

Whoever persecutes  the  Church,  persecutes  Jesus  Christ.  It  was  the disciples of  Jesus  whom  Saul  was  persecuting,  and  yet  our  Lord  said to him:  “Why  persecutest  thou  Me?"  Did  Saul,  then,  in  any  way injure  our  Lord  in  the  glory  of  heaven?  No,  but  he  was  persecuting the  disciples  on  account  of  their  Lord,  and  because  they  believed  in Him  and  loved  Him.  Now,  in  the  same  way  that  our  Blessed  Lord regards  the  smallest  act  of  kindness  done  to  his  disciples  for  His  sake, as  done  to  Himself,  so  does  He  count  the  injuries  done  to  His  followers on  His  account,  and  because  of  their  faith  in  Him,  exactly  as  if  they were  done  personally  to  Himself.

Sanctifying grace.  Saul  received  sanctifying  grace,  if  not  by  his perfect contrition,  certainly  by  his  Baptism,  and  was  justified  by  it;