The Conversion of Paul
Sermon by the Vicar, 26th January 2025
Syria is again in the news. After thirteen years of a brutal civil war in which tens of thousands died and millions were displaced, the country has a new regime. We wait with bated breath to see if this new regime will treat its citizens better than the former one. We are acutely mindful of the fact that around 10% of the country is Christian and that our brothers and sisters in the faith and other religious minorities must enjoy the full protection of the law and the state. This is the more recent history of Syria – but it was not ever thus. Syria was home to one of the major developments for humanity – the creation of the world’s first alphabetic system (around 1400 BC), which we still use today. The material of these vestments was handmade from the mulberry trees and silkworms of Syria. Syria is thus part of our human and Christian narrative, which we see today in the Conversion of Saul to Paul on the road to Damascus.
On this feast of the Conversion of Paul, we remember him as a man who was firmly rooted in the traditions of Judaism. He took the first step of being an initiator of persecution. He hounded everyone back to Jerusalem - those who were identified with the movement called “the Way.” What he did not realise of course was that it was Jesus himself he was persecuting. All this changed on the road to Damascus when a light from heaven flashed about. He heard a voice saying to him: “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” Jesus revealed himself to him as the one he was persecuting. After this encounter with Jesus his life was totally changed. Saul the persecutor of the followers of Jesus became Paul the evangeliser of Jesus to the Gentiles.
The first reading from Jeremiah tells us how God called a prophet: “before I formed you in the womb, I knew you and before you were born, I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” A prophet is sent by God and speaks on God’s behalf. The second reading talks about the life’s journey of Saul – from being a persecutor to being an evangeliser of Jesus, proclaiming Jesus, saying: “He is the Son of God.”
The Gospel reading talks about the reward of discipleship. Peter’s question provides the occasion for Jesus to affirm the reward for those who have not depended on their own goodness, but who by following Jesus participate in bringing about the Kingdom of God. As a point of reflection on this feast of the conversion of Paul, the light from heaven that flashed around him was Jesus. Jesus is here to bring light. At the beginning, if one is not used to light it can be blinding, as in the case of Paul. But later, he became one the main apostles of Jesus, leading his incredible missionary journeys around the Mediterranean basin. So light is key to his conversion – we have it in our English phrase – I have seen the light.
All of us want to see the light, both physical and spiritual. Physical light enlarges the heart. Over the new year, I was fortunate to have a retreat in the mountains of India. I arrived at the place in the middle of the night after a terrifying road journey through the mountains on narrow roads in poor condition, filled with hairpin bends. In the darkness I was only aware of my own fear as the car lurched from one side of the road to the other towards the abyss below. But in the morning, I woke to a breathtaking and calming view over the mountains and a stunning sunrise. At this time of darkness in the northern hemisphere, already we see signs of the days lengthening, and this lifts the heart. Next Sunday we will celebrate the light to the Gentiles in the story of Candlemas, which is also Groundhog Day. So it is with spiritual light. To live in the light is to be focused on Christ. Light unites all believers, as we have seen in the past week in the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.
We are fortunate in this Parish, as we often point out, in our physical location on top of this hill, Notting Hill. Looking west at the right time of day, we are often blessed with stunning sunsets. The campaign we are in right now is called Light on the Hill as we shine the light of Christ to our neighbourhood. And going back to the story of the Conversion of Paul, the light enabled him to move from being a persecutor to being a protector. We too have this same vocation. In a recent staff meeting we asked ourselves the question, what is the distinctive vocation of this Parish (or charism to use a churchy word.)? We focussed on two characteristics – our ecumenical vocation which is a form of living in the light, and our awareness of the growing phenomenon of Christian persecution. For this reason, part of our expression of light on the hill in the coming weeks will be the re-siting of the old cross. This cross (from 1845) was taken down from the roof of the church last year. It will be re-sited into the memorial garden on the south side of the church. It will then be repurposed as the twenty-first century martyrs cross, as a permanent physical reminder that we hold in our prayers all who are persecuted for their faith, some of whom worship in this church. As an aside, our work on Light on the Hill is now put in jeopardy by this Government’s new policy, announced days ago, that tax relief for restoration work to listed buildings as places of worship, will now be capped at £25,000. Our concern is shared by many agencies responsible for the cultural and religious heritage of our country. In a democracy, we are free to challenge this new policy, which will put the future of many listed religious buildings in jeopardy. Our buildings, our heritage, are also a form of light in the darkness.
To be a Christian, we focus on Christ who is the light. When we experience the reality that we now belong to Christ, our new identity is secure and stable. This will enable us to withstand any of the darkness which we encounter, either as individuals or as a community. So, on this ‘Feast of the Conversion of Paul,’ let us pray that the light of Christ will keep us open to that new life and light through the promptings of the Holy Spirit. That openness will also lead us to realise that we are blessed by God. There is so much to be grateful for in our lives. Praise and worship lead us unto light. As it says on the roof of the church, and which we hope to reveal soon, “Let everything that has breath, praise the Lord”
