Although three of the four Gospels were written by the Apostles, those who had known Christ personally, the majority of the books in the New Testament were penned by someone who had never met Christ visibly in person. St. Paul, known before his conversion as Saul, had an almost instantaneous conversion: turning on his heel, discarding his life of persecution and violence, and beginning anew as one of the most zealous converts and evangelists the Church would ever bring forth. His conversion story is dramatic, filled with blinding light, voices from heaven, and temporary blindness: 

“Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” He asked, “Who are you, Lord?” The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” The men who were traveling with him stood speechless because they heard the voice but saw no one. Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. For three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank…Ananias laid his hands on Saul and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and his sight was restored. Then he got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength” (Acts 9: 1-9, 17-19). 

Saul goes on to be catechized by the early Christians, takes the name of Paul, and begins traveling, writing, and preaching to the Gentiles. Following his conversion, St. Paul became the conduit of the grace of many conversions and his writings in the books of the New Testament continues that to this day. 

For many of us, especially those of us raised as Catholics, we will never be able to relate to such a dramatic conversion story. It may seem at times that there are those for whom conversion need have no part in their life. However, the Greek word meaning conversion, which is littered throughout the New Testament, is “metanoia.” Metanoia has a deeper meaning than our English word—it includes the aspects of conversion of repentance and penance, but it indicates a deeper turning of our minds: the Catholic dictionary elaborates that “it means a change of heart from sin to the practice of virtue.” This is something that is critical to a life lived in pursuit of holiness, regardless of whether one is a lifelong Catholic or recent convert to the Faith. In the span of a single day, there are abundant opportunities to turn our hearts back to the Lord, to forego distractions and recommit ourselves to living a life of virtue. 

It seems that the prayer of the Church, the Divine Office, acknowledges this in its cyclical and repetitive nature. Every day, many times a day, the Church turns her heart back to God through the prayers of each hour, praying again the Psalms that She has prayed for millennia. It is not over after one morning prayer—one prayer does not suffice for the holiness of an entire day—but every few hours the Church calls her religious back to God, to pray the next Psalms, to beg for grace and mercy from the Lord, yet again and again and again. 

Every time we are met with temptation or a distraction in prayer, each time we must recommit to living righteously, we are given an opportunity to practice metanoia: to turn our minds and wills back to God. 

For those with loved ones who are away from the Church, the story of St. Paul’s dramatic conversion can be a reminder to never give up hope in praying for the conversion of others, even those who seem furthest from Christ. Of course, St. Paul is a powerful intercessor for asking for the grace of conversion, as are fellows converts St. Augustine and St. John Henry Newman. Another saint to keep in mind is St. Anthony; although he is typically regulated to finding keys and wallets, he is a powerful and attentive saint and there is no reason not to ask him to find lost sheep and return them to the fold of the Church! We can also pray to the saints a person was named after or took as their Confirmation saint, if applicable. Oftentimes, saints will reveal themselves, so if there is someone whose conversion you are praying for, be attentive and bold in prayer and it may seem that a particular saint reveals their desire to be a part of your loved one’s conversion! Praying the Rosary, the Divine Mercy Chaplet, and having Masses said are pillars of the Church’s prayer for a reason: do not forget to employ the basics when desiring compelling grace!

As we approach the feast of the conversion of St. Paul, be assured of my prayers for our constant metanoia and the conversion of all our loved ones!