Real Life Miracles...

Don't you just LOVE hearing about real life miracles?!?!?   There are so many that happen everyday, but so often we are blind to them.  What a pity this is!  I mean poor God, He gives us these amazing gifts EVERY day and so often we just ignore them as if they are no big deal.

And the doubt; O MY GOODNESS.  How we humans LOVE to doubt God's capabilities.  Even after we witness the most amazing things, we sometimes think, "Well he did that for such and such, but he wouldn't do that for me."

Ummmmmmm..... Yes. He Would.

SO I would like to take a moment to recognize some of these miracles.  Both the ones in my own life, and the ones that have taken place throughout history.   In my own life, I can say with out a doubt that the fact that we have been able to provide a Catholic education for our children has been a MIRACLE.  This is truly a GIFT from God, and I do NOT take it lightly.  I still get nervous how it is going to work financially next year, but SOMEHOW it always does.  WOW, God you've done it again!!!

There are lots of those sorts of things, that I tend to take for granted.  I need to be more attentive to these personal examples of God's faithfulness to me.  But just for a minute I want to take notice at some of the BIG HUGE unexplained miracles that God has done for others.

Like the parting of the Red sea.  That.  Actually.   Happened.     Pretty much everything written in the Bible -  MIRACULOUS!!    Loaves and fishes; walking on water; WATER TO WINE. (A favorite of mine.) THE RESURRECTION.  This actually deserves so much more than one line. (But you all understand - I hope.)

But how about some of the more modern day miracles?  The ones that unfortunately don't get as much press???

Have you all heard about the Staircase in the Chapel of Loretto in Sante Fe?

This is such a great story, and one that was turned into an equally great movie.  The Staircase.   The story is that the Achitect who designed the Chapel died before the chapel was completed.  Somehow he forgot to include a stairway to the choir loft, in the design.   The length of the chapel was not big enough to fit a proper staircase to reach the very tall choir loft.  The only option would be to install a ladder, which would have made it very difficult for some of the nuns to reach the choir loft at all.   The nuns prayed a novena for a solution to the problem and on the ninth day of the novena a stranger came with tools and built the most beautiful circular staircase.  It took him a few months, he built it all by himself, without nails, and some very rare wood that is not even found anywhere in the area.  There was something almost supernatural about the double spiral without any central support that amazed all those who saw it, and made them feel as though St. Joseph himself was the one who built it.  Oh and he left before the nuns had a chance to pay him, and he was never heard from again.

Now in our skeptical world, many people have explained away the miracle saying it isn't that miraculous.  But who cares??  The fact that these nuns prayed for nine days for a solution to their architectual problems; and on the ninth day they were answered by a stranger who left without asking for compensation clearly speaks to SOMEONE answering their prayer.  Of course it is a miracle; and a true testament to GOD's faithfulness to us.

Our God is a healer, a comforter, a shelter, and a shield.  But first, he is a Creator.  Even a creator of staircases!!!!

God, how much you can do for us, if we just trust completely in you!  Please use us in MIRACULOUS ways!  Help us to see the miracles all around us, and help us to be open to more miracles.  When we are faced with challenges help us to come to you FIRST, and not use prayer as a last resort.  We love you God, thank you for your continued faithfulness to us!!!  AMEN!