4th Sunday after Pentecost
20.6.21 Miracles
God works many kinds of miracles, sometimes to help someone - as in making a blind man to see or a hungry person to be fed. Other times the miracle seems mainly to demonstrate His power over nature. He can do anything He likes, and that should impress us.
It does impress people but only for a while, and then they are likely to slip back into old ways.
We have to remember that the God who made the whole universe, who has worked countless miracles up to this point, is still with us, and has not lost His power or His relevance.
This is a good Person to be on the same side as! Everyone in the world should know Him by now, but as we see there are many distractions, and somehow memory is short. Yesterday’s miracle is yesterday’s news, and not as important (to wayward humanity).
God can work any miracles, but usually He works by setting laws in place and most things run according to those. The sun always rises in the east, but God could make it rise in the west.
Miracles, however, are not only about nature. God works miracles in people too, such as in miraculous conversions of sinners (St Paul, Zacchaeus, St Mary Magdalen, St Augustine …countless others).
He can influence the way we think; He can put ideas into our heads; speak to us through signs and coincidences; chance words or experiences.
When we pray for something to happen - such as world peace, or healing a troubled marriage, or converting a sinner – we are calling on God to intervene, and that is the essence of any miracle; God intervenes in His own creation.
Moving the will of another person does require something like a miracle, certainly at least God’s help in our everyday affairs.
Many would see God as distant and remote, but we find He is right in amongst us and exerting all sorts of influence for good.
It is not just once in a while, but everyday and everywhere that God can be found in His actions. Then I was by Him, as a master workman: and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him (Pr 8,30).
He is asking us to see Him in this light - ask and you shall receive. He wants us to work with Him in seeking His will and putting it into practice.
He makes Himself known but not everyone wants to know Him. Many are too much immersed in their sin to be able to discern God's presence and activity.
Others will reject any appeal to miracles as outside the laws of science, and therefore impossible.
Especially will they reject a punitive intervention by God. He is not like that, they will say.
For us, the believers, if we give God the attention He deserves we will see more good things happening.
It needs our cooperation to bring on the miracles and to apply their message.
Peter had to put out the nets before the fish would come. Usually someone has to do something to introduce the miracle. The sick man’s friends lowered him through the roof. They brought their need to Our Lord’s attention (Mk 2,4). This is what we are doing with all our various prayers. Lord, do something good here; we need Your help!
Our everyday obedience and fidelity to detail, is ‘bringing the sick of the world’ to the Master and asking Him to heal.
We ask for miracles if they be needed, or just ordinary things to keep happening. We know God is behind the whole process, and we approach Him with confidence. His will be done!
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