For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle. Not only the least and unworthy because of my sins, but not fit for the apostleship; for it is not meet that one who was a persecutor should be a leader and Apostle of the Church.
Morally, see the humility of S. Paul in calling himself the least; by so doing he was the greatest. S. Bernard (Serm. xiii. an the Canticles) says well: "A great and rare virtue surely is it that you, who work great things, do not know your own greatness; that your holiness, which is evident to all, escapes your own observation; that you seem wonderful to others, despicable to yourself. This, I think, is more wonderful than your very virtues. You surely are a faithful servant, if, of the great glory of God, which passes through you rather than proceeds from you, you let none stick to your hands. Therefore you will hear the blessed words: "Well done, good and faithful servant; because thou hast been faithful over a few things, I wil...
If the apostle makes such a confession, how much more should the sinner? Scripture says: “The just man accuses himself when he begins to speak.” If the just man is prompt to accuse himself, how much more should the sinner be? Homily on Psalm ().
These words apply to those who complain: Why wasn’t I created such that I would be free from sin forever? Why was I fashioned such a vessel that I could not endure hard like metal instead of being fragile and easily broken whenever touched? … Let us blush and say what those say who have already obtained their rewards. Let us, who are sinners on earth and encased in this fragile and mortal body, say what we know the saints are saying in heaven.
He who endured imprisonment, wounds and beatings, who netted the world with epistles, who was called by a heavenly voice, humbled himself, saying, “I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle.”
Paul says this because he was a humble man and also because it is what he really thought about himself. He was forgiven for having persecuted the church, but it was a shame he never forgot. It taught him the greatness of God’s grace toward him.
And he said not, of the twelve alone, but also of all the other apostles. And all these things he spoke, both as one speaking modestly and because he was really so disposed as I said, making arrangements also beforehand for what was intended to be spoken and rendering it more acceptable. For had he come forward and said, You ought to believe me that Christ rose from the dead; for I saw Him and of all I am the most worthy of credit, inasmuch as I have labored more, the expression might have offended the hearers: but now by first dwelling on the humiliating topics and those which involve accusation, he both took off what might be grating in such a narrative, and prepared the way for their belief in his testimony.
On this account therefore neither does he simply, as I said, declare himself to be the last and unworthy of the appellation of an apostle, but also states the reason, saying, because I persecuted the Church. And yet all those things were forgiven, but nevertheless he himself ...
