signs were more persuasive than the physical sight of the risen Lord. The crowd hearing Peter’s words to the lame man, _In the Name of Jesus Christ arise and walk_, three thousand, and five thousand believed in Christ; on the other hand, the single disciple seeing Christ risen was unbelieving. Do you see that the signs much more furthered faith in the Resurrection? In presence of the one His own disciple doubted, whereas in contemplating the signs even enemies were persuaded. Hence they were more powerful and clearer; they attracted men and won them over to the Resurrection. And why do I speak of Thomas? For understand fully that neither were the other disciples persuaded by their first sight of Jesus risen; but condemn them not, dear brethren. If Christ did not reproach them, neither should you, for the disciples saw a strange and wonderful thing; they saw Him rising the First-Born from the dead. Signs so great as this are wont at first to stupify, until in process of time they take root in the souls of the faithful. Now, this is what happened to the disciples. Whilst Christ risen from the dead spoke to them the words, _Peace be to you_, the Evangelist says they were troubled and frightened, imagining they saw a spirit, and Jesus said to them, _Why are ye fearful?_ And after that He showed them His Hands and Feet, and He said to them, whom joy and wonder made unbelieving, _Have you anything to eat?_ wishing to convince them through these material things of the Resurrection. ‘Do neither My Side nor My Wounds persuade you, then let even food persuade you.’ That you may clearly understand that He said, _Have you anything to eat here?_ in order to show them they beheld not a vision, nor a spirit, nor a phantom, but a true and substantial resurrection, consider how Peter is convinced of it in this very way. For in saying that _God had raised Him from the dead and had given Him to appear in a glorious form to us His preordained witnesses_, he added, as a proof of the Resurrection: _we who ate and drank with Him_. This was why whenever Christ raised anyone from the dead, in order to prove the Resurrection, He said: _Give him to eat_. When, therefore, you hear that He offered Himself to them in the body during forty days, appearing to them and living with them, understand His reason for eating with them. It was not that He required food, but He wished to strengthen the weakness of the disciples; whence it is plain that the signs and wonders of the Apostles were the greatest proof of the Resurrection. Therefore, His own words were: _Amen, Amen, I say to you, he who believeth in Me shall do the works which I do, and greater works than I do_. For since the Cross coming between had scandalised many, He required even greater signs after it. If, indeed, Christ in ending His life had remained in death and the tomb, and had not risen, as the Jews pretend, nor ascended into heaven, not only were greater signs not