Surprised By Three Miracles

Modern, educated folk tend to dismiss the miraculous, preferring to believe science will eventually provide a plausible explanation for the inexplicable. For the cynical, only the ignorant or gullible set out on desperate pilgrimages seeking cures or chase after Charismatic signs. Many Protestants think miracles were only for the age of dispensation of grace; for somber Calvinists, supernatural deeds are not performed today. However, there are countless, hidden souls who have experienced authentic miracles but they have been bullied into silence.

The Roman Catholic Church Believes in Miracles

At least Catholics believe theoretically in miracles. The word “miracle” comes from the Latin word for wonder and, literally means “a sight to behold” because they reveal the glory of God. The miracles of Jesus were messianic signs demonstrating that the Kingdom of Heaven had come to earth. As The Catechism of the Catholic Church 547-50 tells us: “Jesus accompanies His words with many “mighty works and wonders and signs,” which manifest that the kingdom is present in Him and attest that He was the promised Messiah (Acts 2:22)”.

The Congregation For the Doctrine of the Faith, the oldest of nine congregations of the Roman Curia, was founded to defend the Church from heresy. It explains that belief in the miraculous has existed throughout the history of the Church and quotes St Augustine, an esteemed Doctor of the Church, who personally witnessed miraculous healings:

The Fathers of the Church considered it normal that believers would ask God not only for the health of their soul, but also for that of their body. With regard to the goods of life, health, and physical integrity, St. Augustine writes: «We need to pray that these are retained, when we have them, and that they are increased, when we do not have them.»(19) St. Augustine has also left us the testimony of a friend’s healing, obtained through the prayers of a Bishop, a priest, and some deacons in his house.(20)

The congregation even gives instructions on how to pray for healing.

I think the Almighty delights in shocking confirmed skeptics with surprise physical healings because miracles shatter their world view and often trigger a conversion. I was healed unexpectedly. Even though I professed a belief in the healing power of God, when I was healed, my whole life was turned upside down.

It has seemed good to me to declare the signs and wonders which the Most High God has done for me. Daniel 4:2-3

However, our third miracle was even more unnerving because we observed the inexplicable with our own eyes. Even my 21-year old daughter, who questions and argues about everything,  still grudgingly admits that only a miracle could explain what happened at our house a few years ago.

This puzzling divine intervention was really frivolous. We would have simply made do without a miracle this time. When God supplied us with a multiplication of heating oil, we were desperate; we needed heat when it was -25 C outside in the middle of a Canadian winter but why would God multiply decorative panelling?

My husband, Michael, was installing oak wainscoting halfway up the wall in the bathroom, hall and down the main staircase of our 140-year old home. Unfortunately, even before the first landing in the stairwell, it was obvious there wasn’t enough oak to finish the job. We resigned ourselves to using a wider, lighter panel for at least one side of the stairwell. However, there was just as much of the oak left after Micheal finished both sides of the stairs as before he had even begun. The pile of wood simply never went down; the configuration of the stacked wood looked exactly the same as before he started the stairs. It was unnerving, to say the least.  Just to make sure we realized the full ramifications of this divine intervention, the pile of cut ends was at least 2 m. high. This demonstration of extravagant love shocked us but God was probably laughing at our confusion and questions.

Why would God bother to work a miracle like this? Usually, any intervention from God in our lives has filled a real need. All we could come up with is that God is in charge and will meet all our needs effortlessly. It has nothing to do with fasting, prayer or our holiness but has everything to do with His grace, mercy, and sense of humor when we live as His children.

I have been privileged to witness three miracles so far in my life- a physical healing and a multiplication of heating oil and of wood.  Even skeptical teenagers could not deny the power of God because all three miracles were “a sight to behold”, manifesting the glory of God. As for me, I am no longer afraid of future catastrophes either in nature or in society for I am a child of God and I can trust that whatever happens, God is in control.

Daniel 4:2-3 “It has seemed good to me to declare the signs and wonders which the Most High God has done for me. “How great are His signs And how mighty are His wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom And His dominion is from generation to generation.