Saint Paul, Saint Timothy, and Saint Titus.

[DemBones DemBones]

If you're reading my saint's day posts regularly, I should note that I've missed posting two feasts this week, due to illness. Yesterday was the Feast of Saints Timothy and Titus, Bishops, and Tuesday was the feast of the Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle.

We probably all know the basics about the conversion of St. Paul, who was also known as Saul, but I did a little research to make sure I told the story right and to get more details. Saul/ Paul was a Jew whose father was Roman and it was not unusual for Jews to use both a Jewish name (Saul) and a Greek or Latin one (Paul.) After his conversion, when he went out to preach to the Gentiles, he used the Latin name Paul.

Unfortunately, the Catholic Encyclopedia has a lengthy and very detailed article on Paul, covering his theology, analyzing arguments against his conversion being miraculous, etc. -- no short version of his story! So I went to the Bible online.

Saul first turns up in the Bible when he helps to stone St. Stephen to death. Stephen was a young deacon who became the first Christian martyr, angering people by preaching, saying things like

"You stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Ghost. As your fathers did, so do you also.

Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? And they have slain them who foretold of the coming of the Just One: of whom you have been now the betrayers and murderers." (Acts 7:51-51)


(I've put Saul's name in bold in the Bible verses below.)

Acts, Chapter 7

56
And they, crying out with a loud voice, stopped their ears and with one accord ran violently upon him
57
And casting him forth without the city. they stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man, whose name was Saul.
58
And they stoned Stephen, invoking and saying: Lord Jesus, receive my spirit
59
And falling on his knees, he cried with a loud voice, saying: Lord, lay not his sin to their charge: And when he had said this, he fell asleep in the Lord. And Saul was consenting to his death.

Acts, Chap. 8

1
And at that time, there was raised a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem. And they were all dispersed through the countries of Judea, and Samaria, except the apostles.
2
And devout men took order for Stephen's funeral and made great mourning over him
3
But Saul made havock of the church, entering in from house to house: and dragging away men and women, committed them to prison.

Acts, Chapter 9 (Saul's conversion)

1
And Saul, as yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest
2
And asked of him letters to Damascus, to the synagogues: that if he found any men and women of this way, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
3
And as he went on his journey, it came to pass that he drew nigh to Damascus. And suddenly a light from heaven shined round about him.
4
And falling on the ground, he heard a voice saying to him: Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
5
Who said: Who art thou, Lord? And he: I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. It is hard for thee to kick against the goad.
6
And he, trembling and astonished, said: Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?
7
And the Lord said to him: Arise and go into the city; and there it shall be told thee what thou must do. Now the men who went in company with him stood amazed, hearing indeed a voice but seeing no man.
8
And Saul arose from the ground: and when his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. But they, leading him by the hands, brought him to Damascus.
9
And he was there three days without sight: and he did neither eat nor drink.

http://www.scriptours.com/bible/bible.cgi?book=51&chapter=7

(This is the Douay-Rheims Bible online.)


Saul/Paul's sight did return and he was baptized and spent the rest of his life evangelizing, having a tremendous influence on the development of Christianity, harmful in some ways as he was apparently a misogynist, ordering women to be quiet in church, to cover their heads, to submit to their husband's authority, etc.

Jesus took a different approach, being glad to have Mary, the sister of Martha, sit with the men and listen to his teachings, When Martha complained to Jesus that she needed Mary's help in the kitchen, Jesus told her that Mary had chosen the best part.

O8) O8) O8)



I was curious to know why St. Timothy and St. Titus have the same Feast day so I checked the Cath. Encyc. and found

"Saints Timothy and Titus were two of the most beloved and trusted disciples of St. Paul, whom they accompanied in many of his journeys."
<snip>
"Polycrates (an early bishop of Ephesus. . . states that during the Neronian persecution St. John arrived at Ephesus, where he lived with St. Timothy until he was exiled to Patmos under Domitian. Timothy, who was unmarried, continued Bishop of Ephesus until, when he was over eighty years of age, he was mortally beaten by the pagans. According to early tradition Titus continued after St. Paul's death as Archbishop of Crete, and died there when he was over ninety."

If you're interested, there is a lengthy discussion over the authenticity of the New Testament books, the Epistle of Timothy and the Epistle of Titus -- what's in question is whether or not Paul was the author of these epistles.

Ora pro nobis, St. Paul, St. Timothy, and St. Titus.

Pray for us, St. Paul, St. Timothy, and St. Titus.