Like the lives of many who are reading this, my life is not picture perfect. The history I have lived is undoubtedly less rocky than the lives of scores of others. Being a survivor of an assault pregnancy at the tender age of fourteen doesn’t make me a miracle, however. Although I was blessed to go on to finish high school and college, marry, and have children, that is also not the reason.
For 16 years (and counting), I survived a BRC1 breast cancer diagnosis, the gene for which killed all of my female predecessors. Although beating the odds makes me eternally grateful, that isn’t the reason I am a miracle either. My entire life is filled with all of the usual (and some not so usual) difficulties, yet, that is not the reason either.
The True Miracle
My very existence exemplifies the true miracle. I exist because God, the Creator, deigned to create me. He made me, “A little less than the angels“. I live and move and have my being while benefitting from the glories of God’s creation. I am His offspring.
For in him we live, and move, and are; as some also of your own poets said: For we are also his offspring. Acts 17:28
Every breath and other function of my body is miraculous evidence of how “wonderfully and fearfully” I “was made“.
I will give thanks unto thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: Wonderful are thy works; And that my soul knoweth right well. Psalm 139
The soul instilled in me at fertilization provides the means for attaining Eternal Life. That, too, is miraculous. An undeserved supernatural gift.
The Supernatural
As a member of the family of God, I have unrestricted access to the sacraments. If I stray from God through my decisions and sinfully choose worldly wants instead of God, confession makes my soul clean again. By washing away my prideful disobedience, I am made a new (miraculous) creation.
Having had the joy of forgiveness, I am invited to fully participate in the Supper of the Lamb. Not only am I an adopted member of His family, His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity are in me. I am His Temple!
I am a beloved child of God, and in union with Jesus Christ Our Lord, A member of His family. Jesus, the Savior of the world, is my Brother. I am His and He is mine. What a miracle, that as unworthy as I am, that this supernatural gift is available to me. May I remain in grace and never stray far from His side. Amen, alleluia!
8 thoughts on “I Am Truly a Miracle <br> Are You a Miracle Too?”
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Birgit-As you are a child of The King, you are also a Princess. As this – His unique Princess child-there is good only you can do. Other’s can do similar acts, but only you can do the Birgit-good. Thanks for an inspiring article. Guy, Texas
PS: I believe God gave me life, soul when I was conceived in May of 1946.
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This is a beautiful reflection…thank you!
Could I humbly ask a question that might lead you to look at something a little differently? What if you substituted the word conception for the word birth in this sentence? “The soul instilled in me at birth provides the means for attaining Eternal Life.”
I believe a soul is created by the Holy Spirit at the moment of conception.
God bless you! 😊🙏✝️
Of course you are correct. Thank you for catching this error on my part. God bless.
We actually don’t know when a soul is created or infused with the body – something typically referred to as ensoulment. This doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t protect life from the earliest possible moment a soul may have been infused though.
Church leaders have long debated when ensoulment occurs and have taken positions ranging from fertilization to a few years of age. The church has never taken an official stance on the matter; although, a few popes have weighed in with their opinions.
While I am aware that a debate surrounds this topic, I’d like to share from the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
“Pope John Paul II: “Following tradition, the Council does not hesitate to call Mary ‘the Mother of Christ and mother of mankind’: since she belongs to the offspring of Adam, she is one with all human beings….”[18]
8. Therefore, the Virgin Mary is also consubstantial with us in humanity and like us in all respects except for sin.
9. Therefore, what is true of the Virgin Mary is also true of us, the soul of each and every human being (i.e. each and every descendent of Adam and Eve) is created at the same instant as the body, which is the first instant of conception.[19] If this were not true, then the Virgin Mary would not be like us in all respects except for sin, and she would not be “the offspring of Adam” and “one with all human beings.”
10. Therefore, every human being, beginning at the first instant of conception, is a human person, having both a body and a soul.
11. The first instant of conception is the single cell stage of development.“