The GREATEST Miracle of All

A few Years ago, I was privileged to watch a musical play with the theme of “Why can’t we all see miracles?” In all probability many of us will also conclude that that the era of miracles is over. We do not see miracles anymore.

What is a miracle? According to Wikipedia, it is an event not explicable by natural or scientific laws. It is an extraordinary event without a physical or a natural explanation. If you follow that definition, you will also discover that when the sun rises in the morning and sets in the evening that can also be a miracle. There is no explanation for it. Science may say something about it but questions will continue to rise. Questions like, why it never stops rising in the morning and setting in the evening. We do not consider it as a miracle because we have become used to it.

On the other hand, if the sun does not rise in the morning and does not set in the evening, it might not be considered a miracle. Science would call it a phenomenon or an abnormality, even if it is an event not explicable by natural or scientific laws. Actually, the truth of the matter is, and the real miracle is that the sun still rises and sets; the real miracle is that a baby is born; the real miracle is that you are still alive. These are real miracles because there is no explanation for these things.

Many scientists and doctors can give us explanations of how these things happen; but the real ultimate explanation can only be traced to the Supreme Being who is God. He is responsible for making everything possible.

The point that I am trying to emphasize is that the era of miracles is not over. We still have miracles. The fact is that the miracles have become so ordinary that we do not consider them miracles anymore. Let us continue to see with eyes of faith the marvels and miracles that continue to unfold before us. Let us be sensitive to the wonders of God, telling us that we are special to Him. Let us be grateful that despite our unfaithfulness, He remains faithful. Despite our sinfulness, He continues to bless us and never fails to show us His unconditional love in the beauty of creation. God, loving us is the greatest miracle of all.

Are You Looking for a Sign?

Are you looking for signs? We are created beings that always see signs everywhere. Traffic signs, restaurant signs, shopping store signs and many other signs that we have to see and deal with every day. In relation to faith, are signs necessary to have faith?

As a teenager discerning for the priesthood, I asked God to give me a sign if He was really calling me to be a priest, but unfortunately I didn’t see or receive the sign that I was asking for. Nonetheless, I joined the vocation seminar and regular meetings for discernment and after 20 years I now find myself working in a parish in the United States as a priest!

A sign is not needed for one who has faith because he believes anyway. On the other hand, one who does not have faith, even if he already sees signs, will still say that it is not a sign. A sign is of no value to the one who believes because he will do so even without a sign. It is also of no value to one who does not believe, because he will not believe even when presented with a sign.

Let us now examine our Christian life and our Christian faith. Are we the kind of people who always look for signs? Do we pray and ask the Lord for signs? Do we pray and ask the Lord, “If this is Your will, this is the sign I ask of You.”

A sign is not important for us, what we need is faith. The Blessed Virgin Mary did not become beautiful before God because she was given a sign. She was and is still beautiful because she believed even before the sign was given to her. St Teresa of Avila received apparitions and special attentions from God, still she told Him, “Lord, please take away these signs. I want to believe in you even if there are no signs.”

 If you believe because you see, there is no real room for genuine faith; there is not so much merit in that because everybody else will believe as you do. If you believe even if there are no signs, then this is something beautiful. This is genuine faith. Let us not yield to the temptation of asking the Lord for signs. Rather, our prayers should be:

“Lord, give us faith, even if there are no signs, we will believe. Faith is your gift to us. And our faith, is also our gift to You.”