Who knows what really happened to St. Paul on the way to Damascus? Ages ago, I read a commentary which hypothesized that Paul was overwhelmed by his anger with the “Christian sect” and with Jesus, for that matter. It was this obsession that fired him inside out. Hence the “missionary journey” to Damascus to seek out and imprison the followers of “the way” (cf Acts 9:1-20). But ironically, this anger also became the fertile ground for his “conversion” or what we call now, his “Christian calling.” Paul was obsessed with Jesus, and this determined all his thoughts, actions, plans, dreams, etc.I am reminded of the words of Fr. Pedro Arrupe, former Superior General of the Jesuits. Perhaps it could be a “modern way” of imagining what happened to Paul in Damascus.
Nothing is more practical than finding God
that is, falling in love in a quite absolute final way.
What you are in love with,
what seizes your imagination,
will affect everything.
It will decide what will get you out of bed in the morning,
what you will do with your evenings,
how you will spend your weekends,
what you will read,
who you know,
what breaks your heart,
what amazes you with joy and gratitude.
Fall in love,
stay in love
and it will decide everything.
