On Faith Heailing and Miricles

Now I understand, that people mean very well and have the best intentions when offering prayers, special Masses, and healing opportunities.

I do understand the great desire to help in anyway possible.

But I have to tell you, it pains me a great deal to receive such offer for help.

Laura received a text from a parish member inviting me to attend a service in St Pergrine's name, with the relic of St. Peregrine himself.  Who yes, I am very familiar is the patron saint of Cancer, and he has a remarkable and miraculous story and I wholeheartedly believe it occurs as told to us.

The trouble I have goes to the roots of our faith however. I consider what it is we read in the Bible:

St John 20 :
24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, who is called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

25 The other disciples therefore said to him: We have seen the Lord. But he said to them: Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails and put my finger into the place of the nails and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.

26 And after eight days, again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them. Jesus cometh, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst and said: Peace be to you.

27 Then he said to Thomas: Put in thy finger hither and see my hands. And bring hither the hand and put it into my side. And be not faithless, but believing.

28 Thomas answered and said to him: My Lord and my God.

29 Jesus saith to him: Because thou hast seen me, Thomas, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen and have believed.

30 Many other signs also did Jesus in the sight of his disciples, which are not written in this book.

31 But these are written, that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God: and that believing, you may have life in his name.

The trouble I have is that as people suffer through this life, they ache to see constant evidence that God exists.  When in fact the proof is already around us, we simply have to open our eyes to see it!  Failing to notice God in the little natural moments in our lives causes this desire for extraordinary evidence.

People often want to feel that their prayers are having an effect so they themselves may feel powerful.

And I admit, now that I have made a good confession, I like to think that my daily Rosaries can have effect for the conversion of sinners.

If I were not in the state of grace there could be no effect.

And to this point, I stand by St. Joan of Arc's answer when asked if she considered herself in the state of grace:

"If I am in the state of grace, I pray that God keep me there, and if not, I pray that God bring me there."

But the correct thing to do is to offer our Lord and his Blessed Mother our devotions and to allow them to dispence grace as pleases them.

The act of prayer is simply to raise our minds to God so that we may more perfectly know His will.

My mission therefore, as is yours, is to constantly seek friendship with God by turning away from all sin and make reparation for the sins we have committed.

In my particular case, I have had a long struggle with the sins of impurity and the flesh.  And again as another providential moment from God, the relics of St Maria Goretti will be coming to Charlotte on October 24th!  I assure you this will not be missed!

My aim will not to seek a miracle healing, but only to ask for reparation of my most grievous sins.

We point to St. Maria Goretti because of her natural response to run from sin, and that even on her deathbed she was fully prepared to forgive her rapist with total charity.

Hers is a most beautiful family story our of faith, and should be studied and repeated.  God give us the example of St. Maria Goretti so that we may contemplate heroic natural action in the sight of sin.

We should not be seeking miracles, but learn to naturally act as saints.  God gives us all facility and grace to do so. It is only we that fail.

So to the point of natural action, I invite my brothers and sisters to consider natural ways to minister to each other with financial assistance, sharing meals and labor with the needy, and to just simply make small sacrifices in the love for one another.  Visit the poor, and the imprisoned and simply speak words of comfort.

This is why God does permit suffering, so that we have a reason and the opportunity to act for each other.  So that we may provide charity and love to each other and learn to become Christ by naturally acting as He would.

I feel that were I to receive a miracle of healing at this point, it would do the world that already doubts the very existence of God no good whatsoever.   It would not convince one soul more that God loves us.

Yet through natural action of ministering to one another, others will see and wonder, "Why do Christians do that? Maybe, I should consider a new way of living."

This is what God desires of us.

Pax Vobiscum, Eric
255.3 lbs