Sunday, April 13, 2008

Poor Dorcas and the Selfish Miracle

Yesterday's homily was on the first reading and we felt we should share it with you as Father pointed out a rather amusing point in Acts that we had never noticed before.

Tabitha, or Dorcas in Greek, was a woman disciple living in Jaffa 'who never tired of of doing good or giving in charity'. She was therefore, undoubtedly, a good and holy woman. So when she 'got ill and died' she must have been ushered in to the Pearly Gates by whoever was guarding them before St Peter's own death and have received her eternal reward.

Apparently this wasn't good enough for those who 'washed her and laid her out in a room upstairs' they had to call Peter over from Lydda with an urgent message. Peter comes immediately and upon being told about how good Dorcas was he promptly brings her back from the dead! After spending some time in Heaven, enjoying the Beatific vision at last, she has to spend many more years making tunics and clothes for the disciples only to get ill and die all over again! While this may have brought many people to the Church they could have found another way. Poor Dorcas!

1 comment:

Mulier Fortis said...

But then again, having had a taste of Purgatory, maybe she was grateful for the opportunity to work it all off "here below" so that she was able to get straight to heaven for round 2!
;-)