2nd Sunday after Epiphany 20.1.13 Miracles
There is nothing like a miracle to revive our faith and put some spark back into us. We should not need miracles to bolster our faith, but they do have that effect all the same.
Our faith should be such that we believe and trust in God anyway; but after a miracle we really believe. Take the raising of Lazarus. Imagine standing there and see a man who has been dead four days come out of the tomb.
We could say that each miracle helps to build up the stock of our belief. Just to know that so many have been worked will help sustain us in hard times.
And in those times when a miracle is not forthcoming the reality of miracles will help us to keep a steady trust in God.
If we pray for a miracle and don't get one we still should believe in God. We tend to have very short memories for His blessings; such that unless things go well for us we are inclined to think He has abandoned us, or somehow His power has dried up.
This cannot be the case. God is unchangeable; He cannot have less power than before, nor be somehow less faithful to His promises. It is, however, highly possible that we have less love for Him than before. And that will suggest some of the solution.
So we should keep asking for miracles. We can't always specify just which one we are going to get, but we believe that dealing with Almighty God we are dealing with infinite goodness and wisdom.
He will find a way of blessing us whether by natural or supernatural means.
We must not allow our faith to cool or to lessen in any way. The only way to prevent that is to pray unceasingly, like the early Church when Peter was imprisoned. They worked up a miracle on that occasion (cf Acts 12,5ff).
We can make miracles happen by the intensity and consistency of our prayer.
Who made the Cana miracle happen? Our Lady. Notice that she did not have to use a lot of words. She was so close to God that she did not have to travel far to be heard. And we can be closer than we have been.
So which miracle do we ask for? A lot of it is already done for us – in the Church’s prayer, especially the Holy Mass. During the Mass we make many requests of God. Such as, that He guide and bless the Church, that He give us increase in faith and numbers; that He protect the Pope; that He give light to sinners...
Then there are prayers such as the Rosary, chaplets, novenas. All these prayers involve asking for the intervention of God, ordinary or extraordinary.
All of us would have a million things to pray for. Just think of your own problems, those of your family, extended family, wider acquaintance, parish etc.
We can help each other here. You pray for my miracle and I will pray for yours. And we all lift each other up. It’s like taking up a collection. Suppose we need to raise a thousand dollars. No one has that much. So everyone puts in five, ten, one, fifty cents and eventually we reach the target.
We need a stronger sense of vitality in the Church so that we can all help each other to believe a little more; to be a little stronger; a little less inclined to panic. Notice it is ‘a little’ of everything. Not out of reach, just a matter of re-adjustment.
When Jesus turned the water into wine He signalled that God’s intervention in the world will increase from this point on.
Always He will bless us; even if leading us the long way round.
May He hear our prayer as He strengthens our capacity to pray.
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