Today we hear: "A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs he was doing for the sick." (Jn 6: 2) Catholics believe that the Church is not just a fellowship of believers but also a prolongation of the Incarnation. It is through his Bride/Body that Jesus, Spouse/Head, continues his earthly ministry. Why is it in 2021, therefore, that anyone would want to follow Jesus, become Catholic or attend Mass? Surely it is for the same reasons as in the times of the Gospel! The signs that are done for the sick can be many. healings of loneliness, depression, physical ailments, mental illness, hopelessness, sin and so forth. All of these are to do with the cross and the power of God presently and actively working in the present day rather than some historical account that drifts further and further into irrelevancy. After all, the Scripture is a living Word that cuts finer than a "two-edged sword" (Heb 4: 12). Rather than concentrating on apologetics and looking to convince people through academic or philosophical arguments we need, as Catholics, to testify to the healing, liberating and joy inducing power of God in our own lives, inside and outside the sacraments. St Paul told the Corinthians: "My speech and proclamation were not with plausible words of wisdom, but with the demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God." (1 Cor 2: 4-5)
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