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WHEREFORE also, when arguing before King Agrippa and others of the
world's judges, he speaks as follows: "When I was going to Damascus with
authority and permission of the chief priests, at midday, O king, I saw in
the way a light from heaven above the brightness of the sun, shining round
about me and all those that were with me. And when we were all fallen down
to the ground, I heard a voice saying unto me in the Hebrew tongue, Saul,
Saul, why persecutest thou Me? It is hard for thee to kick against the
goad. And I said, Who art Thou, Lord? And the Lord said to me: I am Jesus
of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest." You see how truly the Apostle said
that he no longer knew according to the flesh one whom he had seen in such
splendour and majesty. For when as he lay prostrate he saw the splendour of
that divine light which he was unable to endure, there followed this voice:
"Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?" And when he asked who it might be,
the Lord answers and clearly points out His Personality: "I am Jesus of
Nazareth, whom thou persecutest." Now then, you heretic, I ask you, I
summon you. Do you believe what the Apostle says of himself, or do you not
believe it? Or if you think that unimportant, do you believe what the Lord
says of Himself or do you not believe it? If you do believe it, there is an
end of the matter: for you cannot help believing what we believe. For we,
like the Apostle, even if we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet
know Him so no longer. We do not heap insults on Christ. We do not separate
the flesh from the Divinity; and all that is in Christ we believe is in
God. If then you believe the same that we believe you must acknowledge the
same mysteries of the faith. But if you differ from us, if you refuse to
believe the Churches, the Apostle, aye and God's own testimony about
Himself, show us in this vision which the Apostle saw, how much is flesh,
and how much God. For I cannot here separate one from the other. I see the
ineffable light, I see the inexpressible splendour, I see the radiance that
human weakness cannot endure, and beyond what mortal eyes can bear, the
glory of God shining with inconceivable light. What room is there here
for division and separation? In the voice we hear Jesus, in the majesty we
see God. How can we help believing that in one and the same (Personal)
substance God and Jesus exist. But I should like to have a few more words
with you on this subject. Tell me, I pray you, if there appeared to you in
your present persecution of the Catholic faith that same vision which then
appeared to the Apostle in his ignorance, if when you were not expecting it
and were off your guard, that radiance shone round about you, and the glory
of that boundless light smote you in your terror and confusion, and you lay
prostrate in darkness of body and soul; which the unlimited and
indescribable terror of your heart increased,--tell me, I intreat you;
When the dread of immediate death was pressing on you, and the terror of
the glory that threatened you from above, weighed you down, and you heard
as well in your bewilderment of mind those words which your sin so well
deserves: "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?" and to your inquiry who it
was the answer was given from heaven: "I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou
persecutest," what would you say? "I do not know, I do not yet fully
believe. I want to think over it with myself a little longer, who I think
that Thou art, who speakest from heaven, who overwhelmest me with the
brightness of Thy Divinity: whose voice I hear and whose splendour I cannot
bear. I must consider of this matter, whether I ought to believe Thee or
not: whether Thou art Christ or God. If Thou art God alone whether it is in
Christ. If Thou art Christ alone, whether it is in God. I want this
distinction to be carefully observed, and thoroughly considered what we
should believe that Thou art, and what we should judge Thee to be. For I
don't want any of my offices to be wasted. As if I were to regard Thee as a
man, and yet pay to Thee some Divine honours." If then you were lying on
the ground, as the Apostle Paul was then lying, and overwhelmed with the
brightness of the Divine light, were at your last gasp, perhaps you would
say this, and prate with all this silly chattering. But what shall we make
of the fact that another course commended itself to the Apostle; and when
he had fallen down, trembling and half dead, he did not think that he
ought any longer to conceal his belief, or to deliberate it was enough for
him that he was taught by inexpressible arguments to know that He whom he
had ignorantly fancied to be a man, was God. He did not conceal his belief,
he made no delay. He did not any longer protract his erroneous ideas by
deliberating and disbelieving, but as soon as he heard from heaven the name
of Jesus his Lord, he replied in a voice, subdued like that of a servant,
tremulous like that of one scourged, and full of fervour like that of one
converted, "What shall I do, Lord?" And so at once for his ready and
earnest faith, it was granted to him that He should never be without His
presence whom he had faithfully believed: and that He, to whom he had
passed in heart, should Himself pass into his heart: as the Apostle himself
says of himself: "Do you seek a proof of Christ that speaketh in me?"
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