the life of miracles
"I handed on to you first of all what I myself received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures; that He was buried and, in accordance with the Scriptures, rose on the third day." —1 Corinthians 15:3-4
A miracle is an act of God which goes beyond the laws of nature. Christianity began with the miracle of the Incarnation, God becoming man. The essence of Christianity is Jesus' death on the cross when He took away the sins of everyone who has or will ever live; He gave everyone the opportunity to be born again (Jn 3:3, 5) and receive a new nature, sharing in the divine nature (2 Pt 1:4). Jesus' resurrection from the dead is the miracle that definitively establishes Jesus' divinity, which is the basis of the Christian faith. Jesus did many miracles in His public ministry and gave His Church and her members the authority and power to do greater works than He did (Jn 14:12). Jesus does miracles in every Sacrament, except the Anointing of the Sick, which sometimes includes a miracle, but not always.
If we live and die in Christ, we will at death receive the miracle of the resurrection from the dead. The world will end with the ultimate miracle of Jesus' final coming. Then, after Judgment Day, the holy ones will have the miracle of the resurrection of the body. Going to heaven and seeing Jesus face to face will be miraculous. From beginning to end, Christianity is a series of miracles. Therefore, strengthen your faith. Protect it from our secular humanistic culture, which tends to deny miracles and is extremely toxic to our faith.
Prayer: Father, strengthen my faith through Your word (see Rm 10:17).
Promise: "Her many sins are forgiven — because of her great love. Little is forgiven the one whose love is small." —Lk 7:47
Praise: St. Cornelius allowed himself to be persecuted by proclaiming the mercy and forgiveness of Christ to all who were repentant and had fallen away.
Nihil Obstat: Reverend Richard L. Klug, January 16, 2004
Imprimatur: †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, January 26, 2004