Acts 26:9-14: a reflection

9“I myself most certainly thought that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10I also did this in Jerusalem. I both shut up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death I gave my vote against them. 11Punishing them often in all the synagogues, I tried to make them blaspheme. Being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities. 12“Whereupon as I traveled to Damascus with the authority and commission from the chief priests, 13at noon, O king, I saw on the way a light from the sky, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who traveled with me. 14When we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’

As Paul recounts his conversion, he tells how he once fiercely persecuted the followers of Jesus, imprisoning them, casting his vote against them, trying to force them to blaspheme. And then, on the road to Damascus, a light and a voice: Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? Not why are you persecuting my followers, but why are you persecuting me. Christ so identified himself with his people that their persecution was his own; to harm them was to harm him. The risen Christ counted the wrongs done to his followers as wrongs done to himself, so united with them that he could say, in persecuting them, you persecute me. Christ's identification with his people was so complete that what was done to them was done to him.

Notice how Christ identified himself with his persecuted people: why are you persecuting me. Paul had been persecuting the followers of Jesus, not Jesus himself, who had ascended; yet Christ said, you are persecuting me. He counted the wrongs done to his people as done to himself, so closely was he united with them. To touch his people was to touch him; their suffering was his suffering, their persecution his own. This is a wonder: Christ so joined to his people that what is done to them, he takes as done to himself. He does not stand at a distance from their suffering; he shares it, counts it as his own. Christ's union with his people is so real that he feels what they feel, and counts their wrongs as his.

That is worth resting in, for Christ so identifies with his people that what is done to us, he takes as done to himself. We can feel that our sufferings are unseen, that we bear them alone, unnoticed even by Christ; but Christ told Paul, in persecuting my people, you persecute me. He is so united with his people that our sufferings are his, our wrongs counted as done to him. He does not stand at a distance from what we bear; he shares it, feels it, counts it as his own. When you suffer wrong, remember that Christ so identifies with his people that he counts it as done to himself, and does not leave you to bear it alone. Rest in the truth that Christ so identifies with his people that what is done to us he takes as done to himself, as he said to Paul, why are you persecuting me; for Christ is so united with his people that our sufferings are his own, and he does not stand at a distance from what we bear but shares it, counting the wrongs done to us as wrongs done to him.

Lord Jesus, as Paul recounts his conversion, he tells how he once fiercely persecuted your followers, imprisoning them, casting his vote against them. And then, on the road to Damascus, a light and a voice: Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? Not why are you persecuting my followers, but why are you persecuting me. You so identified yourself with your people that their persecution was your own; to harm them was to harm you. You counted the wrongs done to your followers as wrongs done to yourself, so united with them that you could say, in persecuting them, you persecute me. Show me how you identified yourself with your persecuted people: why are you persecuting me. Paul had been persecuting your followers, not you yourself, who had ascended; yet you said, you are persecuting me. You counted the wrongs done to your people as done to yourself, so closely were you united with them. To touch your people was to touch you; their suffering was your suffering. You do not stand at a distance from their suffering; you share it. Let me rest in that, for you so identify with your people that what is done to me, you take as done to yourself. I can feel that my sufferings are unseen, that I bear them alone, unnoticed even by you; but you told Paul, in persecuting my people, you persecute me. You are so united with your people that my sufferings are yours. When I suffer wrong, help me remember that you so identify with your people that you count it as done to yourself, Lord, and do not leave me to bear it alone but share what I bear.