Celebrate the Jubilee Year
of St. Paul
with Daily Paulist Messages

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"Daily Paulist Messages" is a subscription e-list service celebrating the Pauline Jubilee Year in honor of the 2,000th anniversary of St. Paul the Apostle's birth.

Each message has short quotes from St. Paul's letters and from Father Isaac Hecker, founder of the Missionary Society of St. Paul the Apostle* (also know as the Paulist Fathers), who was recently proclaimed a Servant of God when the cause for his canonization was accepted by Cardinal Edward M. Egan of New York.

*Compiled by Paulist Associates (of Florida) Kathy LessL and Terry Modica.

When possible, the scripture quote comes from the Catholic Mass readings of the day.

Every day, the message will uplift you or urge you forward on your Christian journey or encourage you in your own calling as an apostle for the mission field of your daily, ordinary life.

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Celebrating the Year of St. Paul

This year — from June 28, 2008 to June 29, 2009 — is a special year for the global Church. It celebrates St. Paul the Apostle. Pope Benedict XVI proclaimed it to be the Pauline Jubilee Year in honor of the 2,000th anniversary of St. Paul’s birth. While we are not sure exactly when he was born, this is about as close as scholars have come using available evidence.

Pope Benedict believes it important for the Church and the whole Christian world to celebrate this. In everything and despite numerous hardships, Paul boldly and courageously witnessed to and proclaimed the truth about Jesus Christ. He is our model for modern times; the Church and the world need men and women who work diligently to live holy lives and to share their faith in Christ. Like Paul, who gave everything for the gospel, including his life, we too are called to courageously spread the Good News through personal sacrifices and piety, so that through us Christ will touch many people’s lives.

In Acts 9:1-22 and Acts 22:3-16, we read about Paul's conversion. Why did Jesus stop him in his tracks? Was it to save his soul? Yes of course, but that's not all. Was it to stop him from persecuting Christians? Yes that, too, but so much more! Jesus saved Paul to send him forth as an apostle. The word "apostle" means "one who is sent by God."

An apostle is an evangelizer, a missionary, and the mission field is anyplace in the world where we live, work, and play. We are all called to continue the mission of Christ in today's world. Your apostolate is whatever utilizes your gifts and talents and unique personality to help others experience Christ the Savior.

In one way or another, Jesus has stopped you in your tracks, like he did to St. Paul, not just to save you, nor just to help you become a nicer person, but also to send you forth as an apostle.

Evangelization is not like being a religious fanatic who yells, "Repent and be saved!", nor is it forcing conversations to turn into religious discussions. Evangelization means consciously using ordinary opportunities to reveal to others what Jesus is like by imitating him and by using words only when the listener is interested.

Is God pleased with us when we keep our faith private? What would our Bible and our Church be like if St. Paul had kept the Good News to himself, quietly worshipping with the Christians that he had once tried to persecute, risking nothing? He wrote several epistles of the Bible in prison and eventually he gave up his life for the Gospel.

We all have the same calling to be apostles.

We stop short of the glory of God's kingdom if we only practice our faith privately and we only speak of it when it's safe. Vatican Council II's Decree on the Apostolate of Lay People tells that each one of us has been commissioned by Jesus. God will provide what's needed to fulfill our apostolic duties successfully.

We can share the Good News with authority. We earned our credentials in our many and various moments of conversion. What changed you? Why did your life need to change? What happened when Jesus became more involved in your life? Because of your faith experiences, whether you're clergy or a religious or a lay person, you have been called to a vocation of living as an apostle who inspires others to desire what Jesus has given to you.

The "Daily Paulist Messages" will uplift you or urge you forward on your Christian journey or encourage you in your own calling as a apostle for the mission field of your daily, ordinary life.