Sabbato infra Hebdomadam II post Epiphaniam
As we meditate on Acts 9:1-22 and Matthew 19:27-29 in the liturgical spirit of this Saturday within the Second Week after Epiphany, the Church invites us to contemplate the transformative power of God’s grace and the promise of heavenly reward for those who forsake all for Christ. These passages shine light on the central mystery of discipleship: God’s call to radical conversion and His generous promise of eternal life.
Saul’s Conversion: The Triumph of Grace (Acts 9:1-22)
The account of Saul’s conversion on the road to Damascus is one of the most striking moments in Scripture, demonstrating the limitless reach of divine mercy. Saul, a zealous persecutor of the Church, is confronted by the risen Christ, who asks, “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?” (Acts 9:4). Here, the unity of Christ with His Church is revealed—Christ does not say, “Why do you persecute my followers?” but “Why do you persecute me?” St. Augustine reflects on this passage, saying:
“For He is in heaven, but He suffers on earth not only in the sense of His own members enduring persecution, but also because He deems Himself to be suffering in His members.” (Tractates on the Gospel of John, 10.8)
The Lord’s call to Saul is a call to conversion, not simply of belief but of identity. Saul, who once prided himself on his zeal for the Law, becomes Paul, a humble instrument of grace. St. John Chrysostom marvels at this transformation, observing:
“What greater proof of God’s power than that He should take the bitterest enemy and make him the most fervent of apostles?” (Homilies on Acts, 20)
This moment teaches us that no one is beyond the reach of grace. In Saul’s blindness, we see the symbol of his spiritual darkness; in the scales falling from his eyes, we see the light of Christ opening his soul to truth. Each of us is called to such a radical reorientation—to leave behind sin, pride, and earthly attachments, and to surrender wholly to the will of God.
Peter’s Question: The Promise of Reward (Matthew 19:27-29)
In the Gospel passage, St. Peter asks Jesus a poignant question: “Behold we have left all things, and have followed thee: what therefore shall we have?” (Matt 19:27). It is an honest inquiry, born of the human heart’s desire for assurance that the sacrifices made for Christ will not be in vain. Our Lord responds with a generous promise:
“Every one that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall possess life everlasting.” (Matt 19:29)
The Fathers of the Church have long reflected on this promise. St. Jerome, for instance, emphasizes that the “hundredfold” is not a mere material reward but the spiritual riches found in belonging to the family of the Church:
“He who leaves the ties of flesh finds in the assembly of the Church countless fathers, brothers, sisters, children, and lands—possessions not of earth, but of heaven.” (Commentary on Matthew, 3.19)
This passage challenges us to consider what we are willing to leave behind for the sake of Christ. Just as Saul abandoned his prestige and Peter left his livelihood, we are called to forsake all that binds us to the temporal world. St. Gregory the Great reminds us:
“He who forsakes not all cannot be a disciple, for he who clings to earthly things shows that he does not truly love Him who is above all things.” (Homilies on the Gospels, 36.2)
Conversion and Reward in the Light of Epiphany
This Saturday in the Second Week after Epiphany is situated in the season that celebrates the manifestation of Christ to the world. The Epiphany reminds us that Christ comes to illuminate the darkness of every heart, just as He did for Saul. The transformation of Saul into St. Paul and the promise of reward for Peter and the apostles both flow from the revelation of Christ’s divinity and the grace He imparts to His followers.
The call to conversion and the promise of heavenly reward are inseparably linked. We cannot receive the “hundredfold” unless we first surrender all. Yet, as the life of St. Paul and the testimony of the apostles show us, this surrender is not a loss but an incomparable gain. In the words of St. John Chrysostom:
“Let us not fear to give up what we cannot keep, that we may gain what we cannot lose.” (Homily on Matthew, 63.4)
Practical Reflection: The Cost of Discipleship in Our Lives
These readings challenge us to ask: What are we clinging to that prevents us from fully following Christ? Are there attachments—whether material possessions, ambitions, or relationships—that obscure our vision of eternal life? The conversion of St. Paul calls us to trust in the transformative power of grace, while the promise in Matthew’s Gospel reassures us that whatever we leave behind for Christ will be abundantly rewarded.
In this season of Epiphany, let us renew our commitment to follow the Light of Christ wherever He may lead. May the example of St. Paul inspire us to embrace conversion, and may the words of our Lord strengthen us to persevere in our sacrifices, knowing that eternal life awaits.
Concluding Prayer
O God, who hast illumined the whole world by the example of Thy apostle Paul, and who hast promised the hundredfold reward to those who follow Thee, grant us the grace of true conversion and the courage to forsake all for the sake of Thy Kingdom. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.