The word “saints” used in this chapter (of the book of acts) refers to Christians. When Paul wrote his first epistle to the Corinthians, he called them saints because they are sanctified through truth and baptism. This was the early period of the growth of Christianity. After they took their preaching to Antioch, they were called Christians there. In the city of Lydda- a Palestinian city that still exist today- Peter found a paralyzed man and told him: Get up and roll up your mat, so he immediately got up.
Then, this chapter tells us about a girl in Joppa that got sick and died. Peter was invited to her house so he got down on his knees, prayed and said: Tabitha (which means doe), get up, and she did.
The result of healing Aeneas in Lydda and Tabitha in Joppa was that a lot of people believed in Lord Jesus. This is not something weird as the Lord has told his disciples: “Heal the sick, cleanse those who have leprosy” (He gave them the power he had from the Father and they transformed it through the power of Resurrection).
These miracles continued in the Church with the saints that were, like the apostles, working through the power of resurrection. We do not say that every saint has surely done a miracle. However, we do call some saints such as Saint Nicolas and Spyridon as wonder workers.
The idea falls into the fact that God is able to heal the sick regardless from the laws of medicine because he is not limited with the law of nature. We don’t know how does the miracle happen, how does the blind get his sight back or the paralyzed his movement. Healing happens through the will of God.
We do not have a medical office that decides whether a miracle happened or not. We just notice that something supernatural happened and glorify God. This doesn’t mean that we should be automatic believers of everything people talk about. You are free to believe or not when someone tells you about a miracle, but no one should accuse others of blasphemy in such cases. You are free to believe or disbelieve all the miracles except those found in the bible. However, if you saw any fruits, thank God.
Other than healing, our Lord has made much more important things than miracles that happened through people. His incarnation from virgin Mary, transforming bread and wine in his body and blood, his Resurrection from the dead, the sanctification that occurs after repentance…, all of these indicate that God does miracles constantly and always remember us with his mercy.
Everything started with the Resurrection of the Savior. We should know that we are people of Resurrection that wait the miracle in every moment and sanctify our souls through the interferences of God in our life so that we recognize that the New Testament is still active.
Translated by Mark Najjar
Original Text: “عجائب الرسل” –Raiati no20- 15.05.2011
