Archbishop Jose H. Gomez inaugurated the Pauline Year in the archdiocese through the celebration of two official opening Masses the weekend of June 28-29. The archbishop celebrated liturgies June 28 at St. Paul Church in San Antonio and June 29 at Sts. Peter and Paul Church in New Braunfels, the two parishes in the archdiocese named for the great saint of evangelization.

In his homily at the vigil service at St. Paul’s, the archbishop said there are three moments in the life of St. Paul that are very significant and must be in our “personal vocation” too: conversion, mission and fidelity.

“The encounter with Christ, should make our hearts burn with the desire for conversion; with the desire to burn off all our bad habits and worldly ways of thinking; with the desire for a truly personal friendship with Jesus Christ; for a life that’s more than just a superficial existence; for a life that’s lived in the presence of God, in a deep, personal relationship with our Lord,” Archbishop Gomez said.

He continued, “But real conversion never happens only once. The reality of our human nature calls for an ongoing conversion. Yes, it starts with that personal encounter with Jesus Christ, but as in any other relationship, needs to be renewed every day. This is the beauty of our Christian life.”

But then, the archbishop explained, just like the Apostles we are called to preach the Gospel. “We have an apostolic mission. Christ gave his church a mission. Christ wants all of us — his church — to proclaim the gospel of reconciliation. To tell the story of God’s love and mercy to everyone. Everywhere. To the ends of the earth,” said Archbishop Gomez. “We are to be faithful disciples. And we are to be teachers of Christ to every one we meet. In everything we do.”

According to the archbishop, the living Christ wants to start that fire in the hearts of every man and woman. “He wants to inflame our hearts with the love of God; with the thirst to know him and to love him ever more deeply; with the zeal to bring other souls to love him too; with fervor to share his love with others.”

Archbishop Gomez challenged listeners to go out and teach Christ with our lives. “Like all the saints who have gone before us. Let us walk with the men and women of our day on the road of life. Drawing near to them and speaking to them about our friendship with Jesus. Let us help them to know Jesus as their friend. Let them know that if they follow Jesus, he will make this world for them a pathway to eternity.”
Again, he emphasized, the work of our identification with Christ is a lifetime project that it’s marked with ups and downs, successes and failures, but that must be based on an unconditional love that it’s stronger than death, as Scripture says.

“If there is something that it’s important in our times it’s faithfulness. We live in a changing world that has a hard time committing to anything in a definitive way,” concluded Archbishop Gomez. “Our world needs the witness of our constant love for God and the church. Our joyful faithfulness to Christ: time, treasure and talents in the service of God and his church.”

Counting on the intercession of Mary, our Blessed Mother, and St. Paul, let us make this a special year of renewal. A time of grace to have a new conversion, renew our apostolic mission and ask for the grace of faithfulness.