According to Cornelius a Lapide, Thomas Aquinas once called on Pope Innocent II when the latter was counting out a large sum of money. “You see, Thomas,” said the Pope, “the church can no longer say, ‘Silver and gold have I none.’ ” “True, holy father,” was the reply; “neither can she now say, ‘Rise and walk.’ ” The moral of this tale may be pondered by any Christian body that enjoys a fair degree of temporal prosperity.

They knew that there had been nothing fraudulent about his lameness, for he had been born lame; naturally, then, they were astonished at what they saw.

The two apostles had not cured the man by any power or skill of their own; it was when they invoked the name and authority of Jesus Christ of Nazareth that he sprang up and found his feet for the first time in his life. Plainly, then, the power by which Jesus had healed such people during his public ministry was still present and active, exercised no longer directly but through his disciples.

Of the new age it had been said long before, “then shall the lame man leap like a hart” (Isa. 35:6). What Jesus’ personal mighty works had signified was corroborated by this mighty work performed through his disciples: he was indeed Lord and Messiah.