“Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed.” He got up at once.” (Acts 9:34.)
In commenting on these verses from today’s First Reading, Saint John Chrysostom writes:
“Peter does well to give a proof of the miracle. For they not only released people from their diseases but also provided health, as well as strength. Moreover, at that time they had not yet offered proof of their own power, and so it was unreasonable to demand faith from the man (nor had they done so in the earlier case of the lame man). Therefore, just as Christ in the beginning of his miracles did not demand faith, neither did these. For it was in Jerusalem, naturally, that their faith was first shown, “at least the shadow of Peter,” it says, “might fall across some of them as he went past.” Many miracles had been performed there, but here in Lydda and Sharon this is the first. For some of the miracles were performed to draw people to faith, and others to comfort the believers.” (Homilies on the Acts of the Apostles, 21.)
Collect
O God, who in the font of Baptism
have made new those who believe in you,
keep safe those reborn in Christ,
that, defeating every onslaught of error,
they may faithfully preserve
the grace of your blessing.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
have made new those who believe in you,
keep safe those reborn in Christ,
that, defeating every onslaught of error,
they may faithfully preserve
the grace of your blessing.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Glory to the Father
and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and will be forever. Amen
