Turn the Car Around

 "Paul was transformed from being a persecutor of Christ

into a vessel of his grace."

The readings for today's feast of the Conversion of St. Paul offer a choice between the two accounts of this event from the Acts of the Apostles. One is a third-person account, the other is Paul's own testimony, and they are remarkably similar, though not identical. Whichever reading one chooses, each points out one very remarkable fact about Paul.
  Paul's conversion involved no less than a complete, fundamental change in his life orientation. From a devoted, even fanatical Pharisee intent on destroying this new "Way" of Jesus that seemed to be causing a rift in Judaism, Paul suddenly became an adherent of it--indeed, every bit as devoted and fanatical an adherent as he had been to traditional Judaism. Neither of the Acts stories says anything about his having been knocked off a horse; was he using any method of transportation other than his legs, anyway, en route to Damascus? We don't know; but if we want to use a car analogy, this would have meant a complete and utter U-turn.  Not only that, but Paul was quite open and honest about admitting his change of course; admitting that he had been drastically wrong in persecuting the followers of the Way. He tells his story to the assembled people of Jerusalem. And in his first letter to the Corinthians, he declares that he isn't even fit to be called an apostle, "because I persecuted the church of God." But he had the courage and integrity to do what had to be done: to admit publicly and honestly, "I was wrong." There's that somewhat touching story about how some of the early Christians were afraid of him, because his reputation had preceded him. But they must have been won over by his humility.
  The courage and integrity to "turn the car around" and the honesty to admit he was wrong. Where do we need, or have we needed, Apostle Paul's inspiration and prayers for something similar in our lives?