Catholicism and Orthodox Christianity

I am reminded of the musical "Fiddler on the Roof". It is set in the small town of Anatevka, Russia, in 1905 (Currently part of Ukraine). During the story, one of the Jewish townspeople asks the rabbi, "Is there an appropriate blessing for the Tsar?" The wise rabbi thinks for a moment and replies, "Of course: May God bless and keep the Tsar..............far away from us".

The point is that even when someone is causing you harm, you can pray for them. You can ask that they become enlightened. You can request that their hard hearts soften. You can ask for an awakening of compassion. You can pray for them to find another path.

We have to remember that Saul was a Pharisee and persecuted the church before his life-changing experience on the road to Damascus. It's where he literally "saw the light". People can change, and the faithful can help them change.