Third Sunday of the Church's Year and the Conversion of St. Paul

The icon on the left is from the Protaton Church (dedicated to the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary), Karyes, Mt. Athos.
There's a connection between the Gospel (Mk 1:16-20)for today's Mass and the Conversion of St. Paul. As I see it the Lord comes to us in the ordinary events of the day, in the midst of our work, our play, our relationships. Although Saul is knocked to the ground by a blinding white light (Acts 9:3) this is unusual in the life of the Christian. Normally the Lord comes quietly, gently, even unobtrusively. So gentle, so kind and compassionate is our God that He will not exert the least force save to prevent us from the gravest evil. His one desire is that all be saved. It is His love that drove Him to the Cross and He does not change. His love drives Him to reach out to us, to call us to repent of our self-centeredness, self-obsessiveness, our illusion that we are the centre of the Universe. He loves us so much He calls us to follow Him, to discover Him, to let Him dwell within us and illuminate us from within with His 'uncreated Light'. Christ the Light walked into the lives of the fishermen and the fanatical Paul and they were never the same again. May He walk into our lives and lead us to heaven too!