3rd Wednesday of Easter

 

In the first reading today, we hear about some of the miracles worked through St. Philip. Yesterday was his feast day along with St. James. God worked miracles through the apostles at the beginning of the Church. We are familiar with Peter healing people and raising the little dead girl back to life and scripture tells us that people were healed due to the shadow of Peter falling upon them. God also worked miracles through St. Paul and he too raised a man back to life. Or the miracle of Peter escaping from jail.

In the first reading today, demons came out of the possessed and many paralyzed and crippled were healed too by St. Philip. There is an event that happened with St. Philip that is different than the other apostles. By explaining scripture, he convinced an Ethiopian eunuch to get baptized and immediately after the baptism, scripture tells us “the Lord suddenly took Philip away”. (Acts 8:39). Some scholars believe the Lord miraculously transported Philip to another location.

Of all the miracles that God performed through the apostles in the early Church, there is one that is the greatest miracle of all. The apostles who were bishops and priests consecrated bread and wine into the body and blood of Jesus. The Holy Mass was the greatest miracle and continues to be the greatest miracle God performs on a daily basis in every Catholic Church in the world. And it will happen here on the altar, Jesus will come down from heaven in the little Host and the wine will become His blood. And not just that, but the sacrifice of Calvary will become present on the altar and then we receive Jesus in Holy Communion. What a wonderful and extraordinary event we witness every time we come to Mass and personally experience in our union with Jesus. Let us give thanks to God for all that Jesus did for us, for by His death and resurrection and through the sacraments today, we become witnesses to His miracles. May the Virgin Mary, our Mother open our hearts and our eyes to more fully understand what happens at every Mass.