Sinner to Saint

Isaiah to Prophet. Saul to Paul. Simon to Peter. Each one was given the gift of conversion to love and serve the ever-loving and ever-forgiving God. This is what the liturgical readings of today are passing on to us. Are we willing to surrender ourselves to the Lord and be like them as well? Not necessarily to be literally martyred like Peter and Paul, and be canonized by the Vatican as Saints, but to simply dedicate the rest of our family lives and work lives in the love and service of God and our brothers and sisters in Christ, through ups-and-downs, joys and pains, successes and failures, over and above our human imperfections and sinfulness.

The first was Isaiah. “Woe is me, I am doomed! For I am a man of unclean lips, living among a people of unclean lips, yet my eyes have seen the king, the Lord of hosts!” (Is. 6: 5). The compassionate God healed him, and opened the way to join the Lord’s mission. “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?” The converted Isaiah immediately answered, “Here I am…send me” (v. 8).

Thus began the inspired mission of Isaiah. As a prophet, he fearlessly condemned the social injustices of the rulers of power and wealth, and persuaded the people to hold on to the ways of God. For more than 40 years till his death, Isaiah dedicated his life in spreading God’s love and justice, and predicted the coming of the Messiah.

“The people who walked in darkness and seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of deep darkness on them has light shined…

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government will be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called

‘Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace’” (Is. 9: 1, 5).

Ages after that, there was Saul. He was a ruthless leader in the persecution of the Church. He was even present during the stoning of St. Stephen to death. He went from place to place in search of Christians to denounce, until one day, a flash of light suddenly threw him to the ground, and he heard a voice that cried, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” He asked who it was, and the voice answered, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.” (Acts 9: 4-5). That was the conversion point of Saul. From Saul to Paul.

He then joined Barnabas and became a fulltime missionary. With fearless zeal and love for God, Paul worked from town to town, converting gentiles to Christianity, even without circumcision, as prescribed by the Jewish law. He focused on faith in Christ, and not on obedience to the letter of the law. Throughout his missionary years, Paul was bitterly opposed, beaten, stoned, and imprisoned. He also experienced hunger, humiliation, and a shipwreck. Through it all, Paul was sustained by the love and power of the Risen Christ. Christian tradition says that he was beheaded in Rome under the emperor Nero. But his courageous faith was there through it all.

“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom. 8: 38-39).

The third in our triad of sinners to saints is no less than Peter, that ordinary Galilean fisherman, originally named Simon. He was not a public sinner nor a criminal, but like many others, he was suffering from human weakness, fears, and failures. Nevertheless, he was one of those who responded to the call of Jesus, and his love for him and faith in him were what may have led Jesus to choose him as head of his first apostles, and thus the human leader of Christ’s Church. However, human as he was, Peter even denied knowing Jesus three times to save his own life. That was how weak and human he was. But in due time, he not only recovered from that human frailty due to Jesus’ unconditional love and forgiveness. He dedicated the rest of his life in spreading the love and teachings of Christ until he himself was crucified like his beloved Master.

We come now to our own selves as contemporary disciples of Christ. We, too, are sinners in one way or another. But God loves us, each one of us, unconditionally! God’s call for us to be saints with a small “s.” Whatever is one’s work, if done for love and service of God and fellowmen, is his/her road to sanctification. From businessman, doctor, educator, lawyer, all the way to politicians and public servants, as well as farmers, fishermen, and garbage collectors. We are not asked by the Lord to change our current work, profession, or means of livelihood, provided this is not a sin or crime, like marital infidelity or graft and corruption in public service. What we are asked by the Lord is to love him in return and to love all whom he loves, starting from our own families, all the way to anyone and everyone. And to use our work as the means precisely to love and reach out to all others, according to our human gifts and capabilities that God gives us.

No less than the multiplication of more and more Isaiahs, Pauls, and Peters. Thank you, Lord for loving us as you loved them.