Miracles

CEBU, Philippines - It is really a miracle that we are alive. In fact it is greatest miracle in each one’s earthly existence. And yet so many are asking for ‘miracles’: cure of bodily illnesses, passing an examination in order to qualify for good job, and other material blessings or favors.

More than 2,000 years ago, the greatest miracle worker was born poor inside a cave in the smallest town in Judea. He lived so poor that he could only say that birds were better off with their nests, and wolves have holes where they could seek shelter. He died naked hanging on the cross and was buried in a sepulcher borrowed from Joseph of Arimathea.

His name is Jesus Christ. He practiced what He preached. From his name is derived the word “Christian.” Christians are those who accept Jesus Christ as true God and true man. He is true God because the sin he was to atone for is against the infinite God, so no matter how many times he died on the cross, the sacrifice would not be sufficient to pay for the infinite offense against God, Who is infinite.

On the other hand, being the Supreme Spirit, God could not suffer as human beings do. Thus, out of His great love for man, God became man and the name of God-made-man is Jesus (meaning “Savior”) Christ (meaning “Anointed”).

While on earth Jesus Christ performed numerous miracles. He cured the sick, the blind, the deaf, the paralyzed, the lepers, etc. Even a woman suffering from hemorrhage for 18 years was cured by touching the hem of his garment. Even the centurion’s servant was cured from a distance at his command, even the devils were cast out of human bodies.

Disturbances in nature like storms obeying him when he ordered them to calm down. He walked on water. Beyond the expectations of His first followers who were mostly fishermen who caught nothing the whole night, he ordered them to cast their nests not so far from the shore. Then, lo and behold, their catch was so huge that two boats were needed to haul it to the shore!

He raised people from the dead like Jairus’ daughter who just died; a widow’s son who was being carried to the cemetery; his friend Lazarus who had been in the tomb for three days. And the greatest miracle was when He himself rose from the dead after being in the grave for three days.

All these genuine miracles prove that our Lord Jesus Christ was truly God, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity Whom God the Father, out of His great love for mankind sent to earth for our salvation.

More than 30 years ago, I brought my graduate school students at the then Cebu State College to witness the ‘miracle’ of the dancing sun at Perrelos, Carcar. We were disappointed. We did not see the sun dancing.

Last week the ‘miraculous’ image of the Blessed Virgin Mary from Lindogon, Simala, Sibonga, Cebu was brought to the International Eucharistic Congress pavilion at Mabolo, Cebu City and to the Basilica del Santo Niño to be venerated by those who believe a lady lawyer who allegedly saw the ‘miracle’ of the statue shedding tears.

It was an example of the saying “If Mohammad cannot go to the mountain, let the mountain go down to Mohammad.” Many Marian devotees cannot go up to the mountain where the shrine of the ‘miraculous’ image is located due to the expenses to be incurred during the pilgrimage, and so better let the image come down to Cebu City so that the poor can also venerate the Mother of God-made-man. It is really an impressive shrine at Lindogon, a far cry from the cave where the Blessed Virgin Mary gave birth to God’s Son on that first Christmas night.

Our Lord Jesus Christ’s answer to the Roman Catholic’s quest for ‘miracles’ is in the Gospel for the Mass last Monday (October 10, Luke 11:29-32). When people asked for more miracles, He cited the miracle, that of His rising from the dead after three days in the grave.

In the end, where now are the beneficiaries of those genuine miracles performed by the God-man? They all died. So, the greatest miracle to happen in each one’s life is to repent of his sins and be ready for the next life.

And that is what our country needs now. The effect of the ‘miraculous’ crying image from Lindogon, Simala coming down to Cebu City is to knock on people’s hearts, especially the illegal drug addicts (Tok-tok) and to request them (Hangyo) to abandon their vices for the good of our country and of their own.

If the illegal drug users, pushers, and financers will heed the “Tokhang” of the ‘miraculous’ tears of the Birhen sa Lindogon, a genuine miracle will happen in the Philippines.

With God, through the intercession of His beloved Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, everything is possible. Agustin Sollano Jr.  (FREEMAN)