April 25

n case you might think that the apostles were capable of preaching the gospel everywhere by their own powers, the evangelist mentions the essential element when he adds, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that accompanied it. The Lord confirmed the preaching of the apostles by the signs that accompanied it, when he showed through them such signs and wonders that no one beholding the marvels could doubt that their teaching came from God. Indeed, he performed such signs through them that even some of those who persecuted and opposed them were touched with remorse and believed. So where one was raised from physical death, many were raised from spiritual death, and where one was healed in body, many were healed in soul.

The apostles themselves confirmed their message with God's assistance by first practicing what they preached. Teachers confirm what they say by first doing themselves what they teach others to do, following the example of that good teacher of whom it is written: Jesus began to act and to teach.

From John E. Rotelle, O.S.A., Tradition Day by Day: Readings from Church Writers. Augustinian Press. Villanova, PA, 1994.

HTML text prepared by David P. Steelman