Ananias restores Saul’s sight
Bible Accent: Paul
Saint for Today: St. Michael Garicoits
Puzzle
Ananias restores Saul’s sight
Reading of 5-13-12
Saul had been granted permission by the high priest to arrest any man or woman in Damascus who were Christians. Before he reached Damascus a light flashed in front of Saul that was so bright he fell down on the ground. Then a voice said to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”
Saul asked the voice, “Who are you, sir?”
“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do.”
The men who traveled with Saul were frightened and confused. They could hear the voice but they did not see anyone who was speaking. When Saul stood up, he discovered he was completely blind, and the men who were with him had to lead him by his hand until they reached Damascus.
In Damascus, the Lord had spoken to a man named Ananias, and the Lord told Ananias to find Saul and to lay his hands on Saul and pray so that Saul’s sight would be restored. At first Ananias was afraid because he knew how Saul persecuted the Christians, but the Lord said that Saul had a special ministry he must fulfill. Ananias found Saul and said to him, “Saul, my brother, the Lord has sent me, Jesus who appeared to you on the way by which you came, that you may regain your sight and be filled with the holy Spirit.” As soon as Ananias spoke, Saul could see again.
Saul immediately began to preach about the Son of God in the synagogues. He amazed everyone because they knew he was speaking the same words as the people he had been persecuting. But Saul only became bolder in his preaching.
When Saul reached Jerusalem, the Christians there also were afraid of him, because they thought he was going to have them all arrested. Barnabas, one of the Christians, assured them Saul’s faith was genuine. After that Saul was welcomed by the Christians and he preached freely in and around Jerusalem.
When the Christians learned that the Hellenists to whom Saul had preached were plotting to kill them, they helped him escape through Caesarea and on to Tarsus.
READ MORE ABOUT IT:
Acts 9
Q&A
1. Why was Saul (later called Paul) going to Damascus?
2. What did Ananias do for Saul?
Bible Accent: Paul
The life of Paul and his writings are very important parts of the New Testament. God changed him from being a man who did not believe Jesus was the Son of God and a persecutor of the Christians into a bold missionary who preached the Gospel wherever he went. He wrote letters to the first churches in order to help them understand the Scriptures and to tell them how to live as good Christians. Paul experienced many hardships in his travels, and he was frequently thrown into jail for preaching about Jesus. We can learn more about his life in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles, and we can still read some of the letters he wrote that have been collected into the Bible, such as Galatians, Ephesians and Philippians.
Saint for Today: St. Michael Garicoits
Michael Garicoits (1797-1863) was born into a poor, but hardworking and humble family. His parents allowed visiting priests to minister secretly in their home during the dangers of the French Revolution. When he was still very young, Michael was hired out as a shepherd boy. Even then he knew he wanted to live the life of a religious. With the help of a priest who knew his parents he was allowed to attend religious school. He paid for his education by working for the priests. He became a priest himself in 1823. He went on to become a respected teacher and the founder of the Priests of the Sacred Heart of Betharram. We honor him on May 14.
Puzzle
