Falling Scales

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. 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.” 

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.

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 children of Israel, and I will show him what he will have to suffer for my name.” 

So Ananias went and entered the house; laying his hands on him, he said, “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.” Immediately things like scales fell from his eyes and he regained his sight. He got up and was baptized, and when he had eaten, he recovered his strength. He stayed some days with the disciples in Damascus, and he began at once to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God. (Acts 9:1-20)

Quite the story of how Saul became Paul and stopped persecuting those who followed the Way.  Such a turn-around orchestrated by Jesus who, reported by Gospel-writer Luke, spoke to Saul after a flash of light from the sky.   Jesus gave blinded Saul marching orders.  According to Luke, Saul spent three days without sight.  In a way, he was in a dark tomb for three days, like Jesus.

How was he freed from the “tomb?” Ananias (meaning “God has given”) in a vision was told by the Lord to find Saul and restore his sight.  Saul was freed, “resurrected,” after those three days – transformed from a persecutor to the one who proclaimed Jesus as the Son of God.  He did so in the synagogues.

How many of us even when present in church still have scales covering our eyes?  Our are thoughts elsewhere and focused on anger, disappointment, fear, envy, or even hate?  If so, we are still weak and need to recover our strength to see Jesus and follow him – to set aside bitterness and to feel as if Ananias has laid his hands on us so we can recover our sight and then follow the Straight street to Jesus.

The scales fall from our eyes and we see the light, like Saul, when we receive the Eucharist and realize the Holy Spirit is our companion.   It’s a “freeing” experience we then must share with others by proclaiming Jesus.  "God has given us" our Savior.

Deacon David Pierce