Pope: Christians are called to be like St. Paul, 'the 13th apostle'

Published: 2006-10-25

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Like St. Paul, Christians are called to place everything in their lives at the service of Jesus Christ, Pope Benedict XVI said. At his Oct. 25 weekly general audience, Pope Benedict said he would begin a series of talks about important personalities of the primitive Christian community, beginning with St. Paul, often called "the 13th apostle." Unlike the Twelve, who followed Jesus during his public ministry, Paul was called by the risen Christ, Pope Benedict said. "Paul was a devoted follower of the (Jewish) law whose initial hostility to the Gospel suddenly melted when he encountered the risen Lord on the road to Damascus," the pope said. In his New Testament letters, St. Paul's "own accounts of his dramatic conversion speak not only about his vision of Jesus but also his call to be an apostle," the pope said. From the moment Christ called him, his life was completely dedicated to spreading the Gospel and encouraging the young Christian communities, the pope said.

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