Pope Benedict in English - Weekly General Audience
Dear Brothers and Sisters, Today’s catechesis focuses on Saint Paul’s conversion.
In the Acts of the Apostles, Saint Luke recounts for us the dramatic episode
on the road to Damascus which transformed Paul from a fierce persecutor of the Church
into a zealous evangelizer. In his own letters, Paul describes his experience not
so much in terms of a conversion, but as a call to apostleship and a commission to
preach the Gospel. In the first instance, this was an encounter not with concepts
or ideas but with the person of Jesus himself. In fact, Paul met not only the historical
Jesus of the past, but the living Christ who revealed himself as the one Saviour and
Lord. Similarly, the ultimate source of our own conversion lies neither in esoteric
philosophical theories nor abstract moral codes, but in Christ and his Gospel. He
alone defines our identity as Christians, since in him we discover the ultimate meaning
of our lives. Paul, because Christ had made him his own (cf. Phil 3:12), could
not help but preach the Good News he had received (cf. 1 Cor 9:16). So it
is with us. Transfixed by the greatness of our Saviour, we – like Saint Paul – cannot
help but speak of him to others. May we always do so with joyful conviction! *
* * I welcome all the English-speaking visitors present at today’s Audience including
the Missionary Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit and a group of Maltese altar boys
currently serving in Saint Peter’s Basilica. May your visit to Rome strengthen your
commitment to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. Upon all of you, I invoke God’s
abundant blessings of joy and peace.