Saint Paul wrote many letters which are now part of the New Testament. Thanks to these letters, we know more about him than we do about many other saints of the early Church. His story is written here in three chapters, so it can be read by different readers or at different times.
My name is Saul. I was born in Tarsus, a busy place not far from the blue Mediterranean Sea. Here, rugged mountain people came to sell goatskins; Persian traders led in camels carrying spices and perfumes for trading; and Roman soldiers, with their plumed helmets and sharp swords, guarded the roads. There I lived with my Jewish parents, who were descendants of the tribe of Benjamin. I spoke Greek, the language of Tarsus. I studied Hebrew as a very young child, so I could learn the sacred Scriptures and laws of my Jewish people.
I studied hard even then, because as my mother said, I never did things half-way. I decided I wanted to be a rabbi. "This is good", my father said. "You care deeply about people, and will dedicate yourself to Scripture and the law. I will send you to a fine instructor. But first, you must learn a trade to support yourself". So, from my father I learned tent making. He chuckled at my enthusiasm, but what was funny? If you are going to do something, do it well!
After that, I traveled all the way to the holy city of Jerusalem, to study under the great teacher Gamaliel. I plunged into this with all my heart. What a privilege it was to study Scripture with him! I vowed I would pass my learning on to everyone I could! I returned to Tarsus to teach. Then when I was a man of about thirty, I traveled back to Jerusalem once again. What I found disturbed me greatly.
There was a small group of Jews, Jews who observed the laws as I did, but who kept talking about a Jewish man named Jesus who had died a few years earlier. He had been crucified by the authorities. These Jews claimed he had risen from the dead. Imagine! They declared he was the Messiah, the one we had been longing for. This is outrageous, I thought. It must be stopped. One of these people, a man named Stephen, was blaspheming this way. Some Jewish leaders became so enraged that they threw stones at him, killing him. I watched it all. He had to die, I felt, for he was spreading untruths. That day, a persecution broke out against these followers of Jesus. Many hid, many scattered to other places. I vowed that I would seek them out and put an end to this thing. I began making plans.
Everything in my life changed quite suddenly. Here is how it happened. As you know, I never do things halfway. When I vowed to stop this movement - the Way, as it was called - I began going into houses where I thought these followers were hiding, and dragged them out. Men or women ... I did not care who they were if they were spreading these untruths. Those I found I had imprisoned. Oh, the screaming and crying I heard, but I kept on, for the law must be upheld!
Now, I knew that many people of the Way were in the city of Damascus. I went straight to the high priest, asking him for letters that would give me the right to capture people of the Way in Damascus and bring them to Jerusalem in chains. I began traveling with some companions. It was on the road to Damascus that my life changed.
It was a normal day until suddenly, a flash of light surrounded me! It was so bright, I fell to the ground, my eyes shut against it. A voice called out to me, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"
I began shaking, but I asked this voice, "Who are you, sir?"
"I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting," the voice said.
Jesus! I was trembling violently now. Here was the voice of the one who had died, the one others claimed had risen again! And, he was speaking to me! I found my voice one more. "What do you want me to do?"
"Go into the city. There you will be told what to do."
Then there was silence. My companions began whispering nervously, for they had heard Jesus' voice but had seen nothing. And now, opening my eyes, I could see nothing. I was completely blind! We traveled into Damascus, no longer the confident group intent on capture. I had to be led by the hand. For three days, I lived in the darkness of my soul. I took neither food nor drink. As I prayed, I came to understand that a man would come to help me. His name would be Ananias.
And Ananias arrived. What courage it must have taken for him to come to me! My reputation for hunting down followers of the Way was well known. "Brother Saul, Jesus, who appeared to you on your journey, has told me to restore your sight," he said, and he laid his hands upon me. Immediately, I could see! Ananias then baptized me; I was now one of the followers of the Way.
When I first heard about the Way, I felt that if it was wrong, I should do all in my power to stamp it out. After Jesus came to me, I knew I must do all in my power to spread the news of Jesus. My love for him burned like a fire in my heart.
At first, Peter and some other disciples distrusted me, of course, but then they saw that my change was sincere. I went straightaway to the synagogues, preaching that Jesus was the Son of God. The other Jews were confused by the change in me. Soon there was a plot against me. But good friends took me by night, put me in a basket, and lowered me over the walls of the city. I escaped, returning to Jerusalem. But I did not stay there.
For thirty years I have traveled about, bringing the news of Jesus' love to others. I acquired a new name - Paul. I crossed much of the Roman Empire during four journeys, traveling thousands of miles, often on foot. (You can read about my travels in the Acts of the Apostles, chapters 13-28.) Everywhere I met people and told them of Jesus. Then I would move on, leaving behind communities of believers. I worried about them, so I wrote them letters to encourage them.
It has been a good life, but it has been very hard, too. With Jesus' help, I have survived three shipwrecks, imprisonment, beatings, and robbers, as well as threats in cities, in deserts, and on the sea. I have been hungry, thirsty and lonely. In my teaching, I have never abandoned my fellow Jews. I love them, but I have argued with them over the laws the Jews, the laws I had upheld before. I tell them that it is Jesus' love that we must cling to, not the rules.
And I know that they are not the only ones Jesus loves and wants to join him in the Way. So I began baptizing Gentiles, non-Jews, who wanted to follow Jesus, too. I do not know where all this will lead, but I believe I have done what is right.
I am old now. I know my end is near, for a great fire rages in the city of Rome and vicious rumors claim it is Jesus' followers who set it. Some are looking for an excuse to persecute us, and I know I may not escape this time. However, I am certain that neither death nor life will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Jesus.
I know that I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race, and I have kept the faith. Now I look forward to receiving the crown of righteousness, which the Lord will give to me and to all who long for his coming.