Rosary Day 5

Rosary for the Conversion of Saint Paul 

(Based on Acts 9:1-30)

TAKE A MOMENT TO REFLECT WITH CARDINAL PIRONIO: How important it is to stress the penitential aspect of a General Assembly! It means a serene and profound examination of conscience, with the consequent change of mentality and life; and it means a painful search for God’s will in the present necessities of consecrated life. How can we deepen our integration in the Christ of Easter by means of the baptismal confirmation of consecrated life? What can we do so that consecrated life may really be today a sign of the holiness of God and of the presence of His Kingdom?

 

First Mystery - Saul's persecution of the Church (Acts 9:1-2)
Now Saul, still breathing murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, that, if he should find any men or women who belonged to the Way, he might bring them back to Jerusalem in chains.

Second Mystery - Saul encounters Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:3-5)
On his journey, as he was nearing Damascus, a light from the sky suddenly flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" He said, "Who are you, sir?" The reply came, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do."

Third Mystery - Saul enters Damascus blind (Acts 9: 7-9)
The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, for they heard the voice but could see no one. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him to Damascus. For three days he was unable to see, and he neither ate nor drank.

Fourth Mystery - The Lord prepares Ananias to help Saul (Acts 9:10-16)
There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias, and the Lord said to him in a vision, "Ananias." He answered, "Here I am, Lord." The Lord said to him, "Get up and go to the street called Straight and ask at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is there praying, and (in a vision) he has seen a man named Ananias come in and lay (his) hands on him, that he may regain his sight." But Ananias replied, "Lord, I have heard from many sources about this man, what evil things he has done to your holy ones in Jerusalem.  And here he has authority from the chief priests to imprison all who call upon your name." But the Lord said to him, "Go, for this man is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before Gentiles, kings, and Israelites, and I will show him what he will have to suffer for my name."

Fifth Mystery - Saul gives witness to Jesus (Acts 9:26-30)
When he arrived in Jerusalem he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. Then Barnabas took charge of him and brought him to the apostles, and he reported to them how on the way he had seen the Lord and that he had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus. He moved about freely with them in Jerusalem, and spoke out boldly in the name of the Lord.  He also spoke and debated with the Hellenists, but they tried to kill him. And when the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him on his way to Tarsus.