Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
Read Chapter 12
Cornelius a Lapide
AD 1637
Have all the gifts of healing? S. Augustine says ( Ephesians 137) that "God, who divides to every man severally as He will, has not willed that miracles should be wrought in honour of every saint." It is not wonderful then that God should work miracles in this place, in this temple, at this or that image of the Holy Mother, or again that He should give one grace to one saint, another to another. Those, e.g, who invoke S. Antony He sets free from the plague, those S. Apollonia from toothache, those S. Barbara from sudden death, and from dying without confession; for, as the Apostle says, "God divides to every man severally as He will." So at the pool of Bethesda, and not elsewhere, God miraculously healed the impotent folk (S. John v2-4). So by the rod of Aaron, and of no one else, He worked miracles (Num. xvii8). So by the image of the brazen serpent, and of nothing else, He set free the Jews from the plague of fiery serpents (Num. xxi9).
Even as God did not grant the greater gifts to everyone, so also did he give the lesser gifts to some and not to others. He did this in order to obtain the maximum of harmony and love, since each one would see his need of the others and therefore be brought closer to them.
For even as the great gifts God has not vouchsafed all to all men, but to some this, and to others that, so also did He in respect of the less, not proposing these either to all. And this He did, procuring thereby abundant harmony and love, that each one standing in need of the other might be brought close to his brother. This economy He established also in the arts, this also in the elements, this also in the plants, and in our members, and absolutely in all things.
5. Then he subjoins further the most powerful consolation, and sufficient to recover them and quiet their vexed souls. And what is this?
