And whilst speaking about the Apostles...

This reflection of the Apostles was in today's Office of Readings of the Liturgy of the Hours. From a homily by St. John Chrysostom:

"For the good deeds which tax-collectors and fishermen were able to accomplish by God's grace, the philosophers, the rulers, the countless multitudes cannot even imagine.

Paul had this in mind when he said: The weakness of God is stronger than men. That the preaching of these men was indeed divine is brought home to us in the same way. For how otherwise could twelve uneducated men, who lived on lakes and rivers and wastelands, get the idea for such an immense enterprise? How could men who perhaps had never been in a city or a public square think of setting out to do battle with the whole world? That they were fearful, timid men, the evangelist makes clear; he did not reject the fact or try to hide their weaknesses. Indeed he turned these into a proof of the truth... .

How then account for the fact that these men, who in Christ's lifetime did not stand up to the attacks ..., set forth to do battle with the whole world once Christ was dead - if, as you claim, Christ did not rise and speak to them and rouse their courage?

... It is evident, then, that if they had not seen him risen and had proof of his power, they would not have risked so much."