Shrine Basilica of Our Lady of Health Vailankanni

"During those days Peter stood up in the midst of the brothers and spoke." (Acts 1:15) Because he is fervent and is the senior member of the group, he is always the first to speak: "My brothers, it is necessary we choose one of the men who accompanied us." Note how he wants these new apostles to be eyewitnesses. No doubt the Holy Spirit would come and yet Peter placed a great deal of importance on this point: "One of the men who accompanied us the whole time the Lord Jesus came and went among us" (v.21). He indicates that they must have lived with him and not just been disciples. For in fact, in the beginning, many people followed him... "Until the day when he was taken up from us. He must become with us a witness to his resurrection." (v.22) Peter did not say: "a witness to everything else" but only: "a witness to his resurrection." For a disciple who could say: "Someone who ate and drank and was crucified was the same who was raised" would be more worthy of credence. Therefore it was not necessary that he should be a witness to the times beforehand, nor to those that followed, nor to the miracles. What was required of him was that he should be a witness to the resurrection. Everything else had been manifest and proclaimed, whereas the resurrection took place in secret. It was manifested only to a few.

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Saint Matthias, the witness to the resurrection chosen by God

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