Replies

December 3, 2003, Wednesday, First Week of Advent

Miracles

First of all, what is a miracle? A miracle is an event that is real (not imagined)…can be seen…is beyond what any human being or natural power can accomplish…and is the result of a special act of God.

That’s why the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist is not a miracle. It fits all except one of the above criteria – it can’t be seen.

Miracles are sometimes spoken of as having been done by a particular person. God may do a miracle in response to the prayer or action of a human being (living or dead), but it is God and only God who can perform a miracle.

Second, what is the purpose of miracles?

Miracles are not arbitrary exhibitions of divine power. They are signs that summon believers to a deeper understanding of the faith. In his healings, for example, Jesus wasn’t saying, "Watch me prove to you that I am the Son of God.” Jesus was teaching that he had come to heal all creation and bring about the Kingdom of God. A miracle is a vehicle of teaching.

Jesus cautioned against focusing on the spectacular. When the crowd sought him out after the feeding of the multitude, he said: “you are looking for me not because you saw signs, but because you ate the loaves and were filled.” (Jn 6:26)

[Note:The chapter and verse references for the Gospel passages on the next post cite the entire passage assigned for the Mass each day, not simply the excerpt at the beginning of the post.

Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee, went up on the mountain, and sat down there. Great crowds came to him, having with them the lame, the blind, the deformed, the mute, and many others. They placed them at his feet, and he cured them. The crowds were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the deformed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind able to see, and they glorified the God of Israel.” (Mt 15:29-37)

Jesus came to reshape human society and create a new order in the world – the reign God. These miraculous healings are signs of what Jesus came to accomplish.

Jesus isn’t showing off his power. Nor is he scrambling to go around and heal every sick person in the world. He is preaching through signs that show what the reign of God is like. He is showing us the future and calling us to be part of bringing it about.

Even though we can’t perform miracles, we can join in the Lord’s work through acts of kindness, forgiveness, and peace. These signs change the world (and us) for the better, and help reveal the reign of God.

Christmas is three weeks away. There is a spirit of friendship in the air that actually makes it easier to reach out to others. No one would think us strange if out of the blue we “miraculously” touched another person’s life with a simple note, a Christmas card, a phone call, a visit, a kind gift, a word asking forgiveness…a word giving forgiveness.

It is in the air, there for the asking.

Spend some quiet time with the Lord.