Paul owes everything to the grace of Jesus Christ. As he begins his letter to the Romans, his great reflection on the power of grace, he notes that he has received from Jesus “the grace of apostleship” (Rm. 1:5). Imagine St. Paul without thinking of him as an apostle. What do you see? Saul of Tarsus, a tentmaker and Pharisee. A man consumed by zeal to murder Christians. Nothing good, nothing impressive.
Paul is an apostle. His very life and identity comes from the grace of God. Yesterday, we reflected on how our vocations are a gift from God to save us. Our vocations are also a grace—not something we have done, but that God has called us to. As you look over your lives, your goodness, your very identity, see in these things the free gift of God, given to draw you closer to Him. Become a person like Paul, who sees absolutely everything of value as the result of grace.