Article January 21, 1939 Issue

"The shadow of Peter"

DOROTHY DESMOND

It is reported in the Acts of the Apostles that on one occasion, when they were teaching publicly, "believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women." Peter's healing work during this time was of outstanding quality, and his reputation had inspired hope and faith. Thus as he, together with other apostles, went about Jerusalem, it is recorded that friends and relatives of sick folk brought the latter in their beds to the streets, that "at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them."

Probably many of these people supposed it to be some supernatural power which Peter possessed as a corporeal mortal. They, as yet, had no very clear concept of what Christianity included, that is, salvation not only from sin, but equally from sickness; nor of what it excluded—the superstitions of pagan religions.

Certainly it was not the mere shadow caused by Peter's figure, any more than it was Peter, as a mortal, which held the healing ability. Was it not rather Peter's consciousness of true being which healed, wherever he was? It only remained for some meekly receptive or longing heart to come into contact with his spirituality, to become conscious, in some degree, of man's harmony as the perfect son of God.

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Alone with God
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