January 25th, 2004, Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul, Apostle.

A reading from the Acts of the Apostles.

Paul addressed the people in these words.

I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Silesia, but brought up in this city.

At the feet of Gamaliel I was educated strictly

in our ancestral law and was zealous for God, just as all of you are today. I persecuted this

way to death, binding both men and women and delivering them to prison. Even the high priest and the whole council

of elders can testify on my behalf. For from them I even received letters to the brothers

and set out for Damascus to bring back to Jerusalem in chains for punishment, those there as well.

On that journey as I drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from the sky suddenly

shone around me.

I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me,

Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?

I replied, who are you, sir?

And he said to me,

I am Jesus the Nazarian whom you are persecuting.

My companions saw the light,

but did not hear the voice of the one who spoke to me.

I asked, what shall I do, sir?

The Lord answered me, Get up and go into Damascus,

and there you will be told about everything appointed for you to do. Since I could see nothing because of the brightness of that light, I was led by hand by my companions and entered Damascus. A certain Ananias, a devout observer of the law,

and highly spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, came to me and stood there and said,

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