THE REAL MIRACLE

THE REAL MIRACLE

 

 “The works I do in my Father’s name testify to me, but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep.” – John 10:25-26

 

When I was a child, the magic of David Copperfield was all the rage. While my siblings and I marveled at the show, my older cousin would be busy making side comments on how the trick was probably being done.

It makes me think of the way the unbelievers must have explained away the miracles in Jesus’ time. Even though no trickery was involved, they refused to trust their senses and even concocted a story about how the apostles must have stolen Jesus’ body during the resurrection.

I guess that’s why, with all the powers at His disposal, Jesus never used miracles as the focus of His ministry. He cured physical ailments but His aim was to heal diseased souls beset by sin.

Author Philip Yancey put it this way: “Jesus never met a disease he could not cure, a birth defect he could not reverse, a demon he could not exorcise. But he did meet sceptics he could not convince and sinners he could not convert.”

The real miracle is God’s forgiveness and our subsequent repentance and conversion. Are you letting Jesus work His miracle in you?Cecilia Lim (cez_lim@yahoo.com)

 

REFLECTION:

“Faith does not spring from the miracle, but the miracle from faith.” (Fyodor Dostoevsky)

 

Lord, I do believe. Help me overcome my unbelief!

LAYING A STRONG FOUNDATION

 

We live in a world where there is an “instant” version of almost anything: instant coffee, instant messaging, etc. In fact, we tend to think that something that cannot be delivered immediately is either not worth the effort or broken in one way or another. How wrong we are if we give in to this sort of thinking, particularly when it comes to relationships. Many youth of today have absorbed this mentality and apply it to their relationships. As Christians, we need to work against this mentality by laying strong and lasting foundations for our faith communities so that we can weather the storms and difficulties that may come our way.

Paul spent a year building the community of faith in Antioch and the same experience happened in many of the communities he founded. Today, there are too many supposedly Christian Churches sprouting up here and there with very little foundation to them other than the founder cannot seem to get along with one of the leaders in his previous Church. I find it very difficult to see how such a reality can be claimed to be a “work of the Holy Spirit” as the Spirit is a spirit of unity, not division. The greater challenge, and the one that will bear infinitely more fruit, is found in working through difficulties to build a stronger and more lasting foundation to the original community. This is what the Catholic Church has done and she still endures 2,000 years later, as strong as ever.

The biggest problem with the proliferation of Christian Churches is the scandal of division that it witnesses to others. It also makes it much easier for the devil to overcome the work of these Churches as they are already divided. The only way for us to combat this problem is to work for the unity of all Christians such that we can all return to the one foundation — Christ and all that He wills for His Church. Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

 

Reflection Question:

How can I help in laying a stronger foundation for my faith community in the Church? How do we, as a community, offer service to the wider Catholic Church?

 

Jesus, You are the rock, the cornerstone upon which the Church is built. Help me to focus and build my life upon You and thus be a part of the Church You desire and started 2,000 years ago.

 

St. Zita, pray for us.