Dead men still speak, breathe, and testify

Do you believe the Bible? I know this sounds like a trivial and generic question, but it’s one of the most important questions you can answer. If you believe the Bible then you have to believe Hebrews 13:8 that says “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”

If you believe Hebrews 13:8, then you have to believe in the Catholic Church.

Hebrews 13:8 was the verse that kept haunting me as a Protestant. If Jesus really was the same yesterday, today, and forever then why didn’t it appear that way within the church? When we read the Bible closely we see the apostles casting out demons, healing the sick, and even raising the dead. We also see the authority St. Peter has as he was walking down the streets among the people. However, what I was missing was that it WAS the same and it was found in the Catholic Church.

“Many signs and wonders were done among the people at the hands of the apostles. They were all together in Solomon’s portico. None of the others dared to join them, but the people esteemed them. Yet more than ever, believers in the Lord, great numbers of men and women, were added to them. Thus they even carried the sick out into the streets and laid them on cots and mats so that when Peter came by, at least his shadow might fall on one or another of them. A large number of people from the towns in the vicinity of Jerusalem also gathered, bringing the sick and those disturbed by unclean spirits, and they were all cured.” (Acts 5:12-16)

In a few short verses you have an overall picture of the Catholic Church and what the saints have been doing since Jesus walked on Earth. We see Peter carrying the authority as head of the church and the apostles healing the sick and raising the dead. In Acts 9:40 St. Peter raised Tabitha from the dead and in Acts 20:12 St. Paul raised Eutychus from the dead.

Now, if Jesus Christ is truly the same yesterday, today, and forever, then his saints should still be raising the dead and healing the sick. Right? Well, they never stopped.

St. Martin of Tours, St. Catherine of Siene, St. Paul of the Cross, St. Ignatius of Loyola, St. Patrick, St. Joan of Arc, St. Ambrose, St. Francis Xavier and many more have been documented as raising the dead to life. Although you will not find it on CNN, Fox News, or NBC, there are still stories and incidents circulating throughout the world of Christians raising the dead to life. Jesus Christ truly is the same yesterday, today, and forever and we should strive to have as strong of a relationship with him as possible, because He loves us and desires to be close to us.

However, we must be aware that when we go about doing God’s business – whether that is teaching, preaching, healing, or raising the dead – we will encounter the enemies of God who will become our enemies.

“Then the high priest rose up and all his companions, that is, the party of the Sadducees, and, filled with jealousy, laid hands upon the apostles and put them in the public jail.” (Acts 5:17) I want you to notice the apostles were arrested after they raised the dead and healed the sick. Why? It was because of jealousy. Never let the sins of others stop you from following Jesus the way Jesus has asked you to do.

“Go, therefore, and make disciples…..”