“It’s a miracle!”
These words are uttered every day somewhere in the world. A miracle is when something fantastic or impossible happens that cannot be explained by science, and the only explanation appears to be the intervention of a divine power. So why do some people have to find a “miracle” in a piece of toast or the way light shines through a window? Why can’t some people believe in the presence of God on Earth without seeing a human image?
Every time there is a story about someone seeing a vision of Jesus or the Virgin Mary in unusual circumstances, millions of people travel thousands of miles to see for themselves. In one recent news story, a woman was sure that she could see the countenance of the Virgin Mary in her toast. In another story, a woman (and thousands of other people) were praying in front of a house that they swore bore the resemblance of the Holy Mother of God in the way the light was shining through a window.
I am elated that so many people are searching for the answer to the question “Is God out there?” Let me set these people straight. Neither God, nor Jesus, nor Mary will appear to us in off-the-wall ways. The Virgin has appeared only 4 times that are recognized by the Roman Catholic Church, and to many other holy people in private revelations. In all instances, she appeared as herself, not in breakfast food or construction materials. And she spoke! She spoke to warn us to repent, to remind us that God loves us, and that if we will just trust in her Son, He will fill us with more joy than we can imagine!
And when the saints who have been blessed by the presence of Christ Himself, the message has always been the same—“Love one another.”
God (Jesus) is in every one of us. Jesus said so Himself when He said, “What you do for the least of My brothers, you do for Me.” He doesn’t need to show us His presence in quirky ways. Look at your fellow man. Look into your soul. He is there.
All God wants us to do is believe without seeing. It is called “faith”. My feeling is that if you fail to see or feel God in your heart and in the world around you, you’re not looking very hard.
I have experienced many miracles first-hand. You may not agree with my interpretation, but I feel they were miracles nonetheless. Let me recount a couple of (in my opinion) big-time miracles and a couple that served as gentle reminders from the Holy Spirit that God is alive and well and residing within each of us together with His Son.
When I was a teenager, and questioning the existence of God (as I am sure most teenagers do), I had dreams of falling from great heights. Just before hitting the ground and certain death, I would wake up in a cold sweat from the nightmare I imagined death would be. The same dream came often and I was spending a lot of time worrying about death. The last time I ever had the dream, I started the fall. An angel appeared next to me and asked why I was afraid. I told the angel I was afraid to die. My angel said “Recite the Our Father with me.” We prayed the Our Father together. I remember thinking that I wouldn’t have time to finish before hitting the ground. But for some reason I had plenty of time. Just as I said “Amen” my angel lifted me up and we began to soar. Then I woke up and instead of being afraid, I was sad the dream had to end! It was such a revelation. Now, almost 40 years later, I truly believe that God was letting me know that he is alive and well and waiting for me—I just have to remember to “keep the faith”.
In 1987 His Holiness Pope John Paul II visited San Francisco. I really wanted tickets and I was disappointed when I found out they were sold out almost as quickly as they became available. So I resolved to just watch the hoopla on TV and pray for those who, like me, were unable to attend. I was at work the evening before his Candlestick Park appearance when Marilyn called me. She said that some last minute tickets had become available and that our neighbor Darlene had a ticket for me if I would agree to drive her and some of her friends to the Mass at Candlestick. Evidently, one of Darlene’s friends had agreed to drive, but got ill at the last minute and she called me out of desperation. Of course I accepted the offer. I expected, since these were late-release tickets that they would be in the “nose-bleed” section of the stadium. Imagine my surprise when we were directed to the playing field, no more than about 100 feet from the Holy Father! These were prime seats. The first thought I had when I knelt down to thank God for this opportunity was (Matt 20:16) “So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.” When the mass was ended (it was a beautiful celebration, by the way), “Il Papa” exited the stadium by walking right past me. If I had been about 5 feet closer, I would have been able to actually touch him!
I consider my family the biggest miracle in my life. I truly feel that before the beginning of time Marilyn’s soul was created by God to be joined with mine at this time in history. It is not coincidence that I have very few childhood memories that Marilyn does not play a part in, yet I didn’t meet her until I was 19 years old. And if I had not fallen in love with Marilyn and we had not been joined in the holy Sacrament of Matrimony, Alicia and Sarah would not have been given to us as gifts from God for our trust in His Providence.
There are times that I have been complacent in my duties as a Catholic. There was quite a long period of time that I had not been to confession. No particular reason, I guess I just didn’t feel the need to. I was driving to Bakersfield from Stockton one Sunday night a while back and, as was my routine, I was listening to a talk-radio-station out of San Francisco. All of a sudden, I am getting static on the radio in an area I generally should have been able to get reception in. I started fiddling with the dial, and the only station that would come in clear was EWTN radio. The program was Father Groeschel’s “Sunday Night Live”, and he and his guests were talking about the Sacrament of Reconciliation. I thought, “I’ll listen to this stuff until I get around Fresno and get my other familiar talk-radio channel to listen to all the way into Bakersfield.” When I got to Fresno, again the only channel that would come in was EWTN and it was another program talking about the Graces received by going to confession. The next day, all of my familiar channels were available again. But I have never been one to ignore subtle hints (like being hit over the head with a sledgehammer), so I found the nearest church offering confession on Monday and took advantage of the Sacrament. I have been going regularly ever since.
If you’re looking for “physical” miracles, try this one on for size. While out of town recently, I dislocated my finger at work. After the doctor re-set it and put it in a splint, he said it should be able to be functional within a week or so. After two weeks, it was still twice the size of the other fingers, and I couldn’t move it without a lot of pain. The doctor said that it should have been a lot better by then. He suggested physical therapy. For some reason, none of the physical therapists in the town I was in would see me, because it was a finger injury—I guess that’s a specialty all its own—go figure. Anyway, I went to mass that evening and turns out the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick was administered just before Communion. I mentioned in my prayers to Jesus just before I was anointed that it would be nice if my finger could just stop hurting and move properly. I received the Eucharist, the mass ended and I went back to the hotel. When I woke up the next morning, my finger was (and is, by the way) still swollen and bent slightly to the right. But it did not hurt and bends normally. Praise be to God.
I have been trying to attend daily Mass for the last couple of months. I have missed a few days (when I went to Quito, for instance—however I did see many churches there and offered prayers often while in those magnificent structures), but generally I’ve been attending the 5:30 pm Mass. The church I was attending has perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, so I actually would arrive at the church about 4:30 and spend an hour meditating and saying the Rosary and Divine Mercy until the mass would start. The church is in a very bad part of Bakersfield—a lot of gangs and crime—so a gate that requires an electronic key to enter protects the chapel where the Blessed Sacrament is exposed. I do not have a key. One night a few weeks ago I had to work late, so I missed the mass at 5:30. On my way back to the hotel, I thought, “I should go to the chapel and say my prayers and apologize to Jesus for missing his Word today.” I heard a faint voice say to me “No, go to dinner and back to the hotel. The gate will be locked and it will just be a waste of time.” Another, stronger voice then said, “What will it hurt to try? There is still the grotto with the Holy Family that you can visit and say your Rosary.” The second voice was much more convincing, so I went to the chapel. There was only one car in the parking lot, and, as I thought, the gate was shut and locked. I got out of my car and walked up to the gate. Just then, a man came out of the chapel and I asked him if he would mind letting me in. He said, “Of course not. The woman who is supposed to be relieving us called a few minutes ago and said she was going to be late. My wife and I were just praying that someone would show up earlier because we have somewhere to go, as well, and we really didn’t want to be late.” I feel I was “called” by Jesus to come and sit with him until the lady who was scheduled could show up.
How about every time the priest says the words of consecration at mass which turns bread and wine into the very body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ? This isn’t a miracle?
Like I said before, throughout my life I have had experiences like these. They cannot be and I don’t believe they are coincidences. They are miracles—not “fire and brimstone, part the Red Sea-type miracles—but miracles nonetheless.
I thank God for all He has given me and try to pay particular attention to remembering His humility in becoming Man solely to suffer and die for our salvation. I also thank Him for the hope that His Second Coming promises.
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