Risen From The Dead

Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Hebrews 11: 35.

A number of Irish Christians gained a remarkable reputation for bringing dead people back to life. Among these was Tighernach, who went to heaven on 4 April 549. Eithne, the daughter of the king of Munster had committed suicide rather than be forced to marry a British Prince against her will. She had desired to follow a calling as a virgin dedicated to God. Tighernach prayed over her and brought her back to life.

It seems the Lord gave Kieran the Elder a unique ministry to the victims of group casualties. Seven harpers of Aengus were way -laid and killed by brigands while on a journey, and were found, apparently dead, beside the track. Kieran prayed over them and they were all restored.

According to legend, a local ruler wanted to arrange decent funerals for a group of his soldiers who had been killed in battle, but there were not enough vehicles to arrange the funerals. Kieran once again came to the rescue, prayed over the soldiers, and they, too, were restored to life.

We have accurate accounts of Cuthbert’s visits to the plague-ridden Northumbrian people. He trudged through the devastated villages to minister to the few poor people who remained. Cuthbert was about to leave one village when he asked the priest, ‘Are you sure there is no one left whom I have not seen?’ The priest looked around, and found one tear-stained woman standing at a distance. She had lost one son in the plague, and now seemed about to lose her other son, whom she was holding in her arms. Cuthbert made his way to her, blessed her, kissed the boy, and said to his mother: ‘There is no need to be sad any more. Your infant will be healed and will live, and no one else in your family will die from this plague.’ Mother and son both lived long to bear witness to Cuthbert’s life-giving ministry.

Take us from death to life
From the death of disease to the life of wholeness
From the death of despair to the life of hope
From the death of the body to the life of resurrection.