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The modern world heaps scorn on those who have experienced miracles. This cynical attitude simply serves to coerce most legitimate eyewitnesses into silence; only quacks speak out. As a result, of course, society’s prejudice is simply reinforced.
At least Catholics believe in miracles, although sometimes more in theory than in their day-to-day lives.The word “miracle” comes from the Latin word for wonder and, literally means “a sight to behold.” In fact Jesus promised us that His followers would perform even greater miracles than He did because in fact it is because we live in Christ and Christ lives in us that miracles occur.
Thus encouraged, courageously or perhaps foolishly, I have already written about two of the many miracles which are an intricate part of my life, a physical healing, where my spine was straightened instantaneously and a single tank of heating oil which simply never ran out all winter. However this particular incident was even more unnerving because we observed the inexplicable with 20/20 vision. When my 17-year old daughter, who questions and argues about everything, grudgingly admitted that only a miracle could explain what happened, I cannot keep silent.
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. Yet why would God multiply decorative panelling?
Michael was installing oak wainscoting in the bathroom, hall and down the main staircase of our 140-year old home. My husband had held on to this wood for twenty years and now that we finally owned a home, he finally was free to install it. Unfortunately even before the first landing, it was obvious that there wasn’t enough of the dark oak. We resigned ourselves to using a wider, lighter panel for at least one side of the stairwell, an entire wall.
Let’s just say that after my husband completed the entire stairway in dark oak, there was just as much left as before he had even begun. Just to make sure we realized the full ramifications of this divine intervention, the pile of cut ends was at least 2 m. high, making the total wood waste more than the amount of the uncut wood before my husband had even begun the stairwell in the beginning. This demonstration of extravagant love shocked us. God was probably laughing at our confusion and questions.
Why would God bother to work a miracle like this? Usually, any intervention from God has filled a real need. All we could come up with is that He indeed is in charge, in control 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.
Ponder: Where are there miracles in your life? Can you live with mystery and accept the inexplicable?
Prayer: Lord open my eyes to the miracles which surround me everyday but also open my heart to receive even more miracles from you, my Dad in heaven.
© 2014. Melanie Jean Juneau. All rights reserved.
11 thoughts on “Accepting Miracles: Embracing Mystery”
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This is a great story, and one that I really needed to read. So in a way, your oak paneling miracle did fill a real need. Thank you for sharing.
Your comment makes me glad that I took a risk and told a story that might seem outlandish to a secular mind
My family, aunt and cousin were packed in an SUV for an out of town family trip. Its was dark and the road was slippery with rainwater. I woke with a start when our car suddenly slid off the road and lcrashed into a ditch. My younger bro was sleeping in the backmost seat. A truck passing by towed our car to a gas station. A family in a van kindly brought us to a restaurant near the gas station. It was there that we realized that the backseat window had shattered. My younger brother’s pant’s pocket was filled with small glass shards. But my brother didn’t have a scratch on him. To this day, we are sure that his guardian angel saved him that night! 🙂
Whay a awe inspiring story I KNOW his guardian angel saved him
Melanie, once again, as I mentioned on my Facebook page: “I am so blessed. As Managing Editor with Catholic Stand I get the exceptional opportunity to interact with a legion of gifted, talented and Holy Spirit-inspired Catholic writers and apologists all over the world. I value each one equally. Melanie Jean Juneau is one of those writers that possesses a quiet resolve about her faith in God that is peaceful and empowering. Enjoy her latest piece on embracing the mystery of miracles.”
We need to get you more exposure. You have such a delicate voice of faith that gives the reader strength. I’m a fan! (Haven’t I said that before?) 😉
God bless you.
Diane ^i^
I am speechless- enjoy my silence; it is rare 🙂
Love love love this story!!!!!! So inspiring, thank you so much for sharing!!!!
it was a step out in faith to share this miracle; your response is exactly why I chose to write about it
“Where are there miracles in your life? Can you live with mystery and accept the inexplicable?”
All around us and in us too. Life is miraculous. We humans cannot comprehend life but we can apprehend its mysteriousness.
Some can accept the inexplicable, others think they have explained it by leaving it up to luck or chance, as if that explains anything.
Here’s a link to a description of a miracle I witnessed. It was stunning then and stuns me now:
https://catholicstand.com/do-you-see-miracles-our-ruby-story/
well said.. miracles are “all around us and in us too”. Thank-you! I will be reading your link in a few moments