3rd Sunday after Epiphany 27.1.19 Miracles
God sometimes works miracles in our midst.
A miracle is anything that is outside the normal laws of
science, for example if the sun would rise in the west, or an incurable illness
would suddenly clear away.
There have been thousands of miracles in our history, and
they still happen, though most of them are too small to make headlines. We have
probably seen or experienced at least the smaller ones ourselves.
We are impressed by miracles but we should also maintain a
sense of wonder at the ‘ordinary’ workings of things as well. God has put this
universe together very well.
He works miracles to help people in need, but also to remind
us of His providential care and His immense power, working for our good.
It should be a simple process: God works a miracle; we
observe it; we are grateful to Him; we resolve to bring our lives more fully
under His dominion.
It should be that easy, but people find all sorts of ways of
not believing in God's intervention and therefore not bringing their lives into
line with His will.
They will say the miracle did not happen. Or it was too long
ago, or too far away for us to know.
They will say it was probably a delusion for simple people,
or a fraud by cunning people, or just a pure fluke of nature.
They will nit-pick and try to find reasons not to believe.
For example, many of Our Lord’s miracles were worked on the
Sabbath. The elders of the Jews used to be more interested in what day the
miracle happened than the miracle itself.
This shows how perverse the human heart can be. They could have just accepted that this is
God acting in their midst; but they had to make it difficult for themselves and
everyone.
The miraculous event leads us back to the One who has such
power: to still the storm, to walk on water, to heal the sick, to raise the
dead. Can we ignore such a Person? Do we dare to disobey someone who has such power?
The Centurion of today’s Gospel gives us a refreshing
contrast. He understands perfectly that Our Lord has the authority to work
miracles, and so makes his request.
The power is in the Person, and that has to be the starting-point
for us also. Courage, It is I , said
Our Lord while walking on the water (Mt 14,27). If we have Him we have all His power
and goodwill as well. So we seek Him,
seek to be in union with Him.
We can ask for miracles but we should not rely on them for
faith purposes.
Better than asking for miracles is asking for a complete
union with the One who works miracles! - then to live in relationship with Him,
from which will come much fruit, including the occasional miracle.
One miracle we seek above all others, and that is for the
conversion of sinners and unbelievers.
Our Lord worked so many miracles yet still could not get through
to some people; and so it has been ever since.
The really big miracle, better and harder than all the
others, is to convert people to the point that they would freely submit to the
power and goodness of God.
That takes prayer, and sacrifice on the part of those who
have been converted already. We know how fortunate we are to be in union with
God; we wish the same happiness on others.
We do not know why God works one miracle and not another. We
do not enquire too closely; it is enough to take our proper place in the
process, to let faith take root in us, and others.
Blessed are those who have not seen (Jn 20,29).
Blessed are those who believe, and even more blessed are
those who seek Mercy. That remains the most challenging and most important
miracle.
No comments:
Post a Comment