Acts 9:32-42 (healing of Aeneas and raising of Tabitha)
St. Luke 24:1-12 (healing of the paralytic)
Two sets of miracles today
- Christ’s healing of the paralytic at the Sheep’s Pool
- Peter’s healing of Aeneas and raising Tabitha from the dead at Lydda.
These kind of miracles are always for a purpose. They are designed to point people to the greater plan – and much greater miracle.
- Jesus was showing everyone that He was the Christ and that He had been sent by His Father to save mankind. He was showing them that He was powerful, good, and that HE WAS THE FOUNDER, BASIS, AND GOAL OF RELIGION… He defined it, not the other way around. He was showing people that they could trust His plan for them and this world. We call that plan the Gospel or Good News.
- Peter’s miracles confirmed that the Power of God – that was exercised through Jesus Christ (God incarnate) was now being exercised through His Body, the Church. Not in some vague way, but directly through His apostles. The Church is good, it is powerful, God worked through St. Peter to show everyone that the Church was powerful, good, and that they could trust the plan for them and this world. We call that plan the Gospel or Good News.
We long for miracles like this to show us that life has meaning. That God really is Good and Powerful, and that we can trust the plan He has offered us. We want a miracle to show us that everything will be made right, that the sick will be healed and dead raised up into a life of eternal joy. We want to know that goodness and love and sacrifice really are more powerful than all the spite and selfishness that poison this world.
God knows our needs and He works miracles in our midst. Some of them have become so commonplace that we don’t even take notice of them.
- Communion – the Body and Blood of God for our union with Him! Open your mind and heart to the reality of this. It’s not just something to do (prayers would help). “Those who eat… “
- Confession. God uses this act to give us a new start. Do we use it? (Can’t he just give me a pill?). “Receive the Holy Spirit….”
- Worship. We can rely on the fact that when two or three of us gather in His name, He is here with us. Call Him into the midst of your homes, your friendships, and – of course – your parish.
- Service. Transforming lives around us with patience, kindness, and self-sacrifice. Haven’t you seen this work? Do you think it is simple psychology that transforms your efforts into grace and shares that grace with others?
We have miracles; they show us – and those whom we love and serve – that God is good and powerful and that we can all trust the plan He has for us.
