THOUGHTS OF A NUN

Miracles

June 17, 2001

My father is no longer able to travel very far; so a few weeks ago I was visiting him, my brother and his family in Texas. On Sunday my brother took dad and me to the church they usually attend. When we were settled I noticed  (among a lot of other things) a woman directly in front of us about 8 pews up with long, very blond hair. The time for the sermon was initiated by several questions.

 The first one: “How many believe in miracles?” About 60% of the congregation raised a hand.
Second question: “How many have witnessed a miracle?” Half the hands went down, leaving only 30% responding yes.

Then the preacher asked, “Who would be willing to tell us about the miracle they witnessed?”
Most of the hands went down, but the woman in front with the unusual blond hair kept her hand up. Instead of speaking, she merely lifted her child up above her head.

The priest went to the woman, took the baby from her and held up for all to see, a beautiful child about 6 months old. Yes, he agreed, this is indeed a miracle. The rest of the sermon was good but my mind stayed with a thought and has come back to it numerous times.  Have you ever thought about how each of us is a miracle? How many people present have been awestruck with wonder when viewing or holding a newborn or any little child? 

Each of us was once a little child. We all have been given life. What a stupendous a miracle is life, even more than that --each of us has been given the ability to love; others and ourselves.   That ability to love is how we are made in God's image.

In the first reading today Elijah covered Elisha with his own mantle. The action seemed to signify Elijah was calling Elisha to follow him- to be his disciple-to learn from him to be God's prophet. Elijah's own work would continue through Elisha.

By being born each of us is called to be God's disciple, to let God act through us.

Tax Collectors -Worse kind of sinner to the Jewish people. You heard this morning that Christ called Matthew, a tax collector--a sinner, to follow him. Matthew did so. As a result many other sinners- tax collectors, came to see this leader - this preacher who was so accepting of sinners.
The Pharisees questioned Christ about these people gathered around Him. Do you recall Christ's memorable answer? "It is not the healthy that need a physician but the sick." He had come to heal the sick; he had come for the sinners.

He also commented that God desires mercy not sacrifice. Christ didn't just love those who kept the ritual laws of the temple. We might consider ourselves to be sick, sinners, or less than what we could be, or even one of the righteous ones, but each of us has a heart, a heart we can keep open for the love from others as well as opening our heart to others.

If we are letting God act through us, do we not have to love the sinner? Is it conceivable that God actually loves those who murder, maim, steal and all the lesser things we are capable of? Even someone like Timothy McVeigh? Yes, God loves without reserve- unconditionally.   If we realize we are god's disciple do we have a right not to? Can we not learn to love those whose lives are not as "good" as ours?  It does not mean we will feel affection for them. It does mean we wish good for them, we work towards understanding them thus coming to true compassion for them. It does not mean we agree with the misguided thinking that causes them to act in ways incomprehensible to our own way of thinking.  God does not stop loving us even if we do not return that love. Our love is expressed in different ways, as we each have our own unique gifts. Think about what a gift is life, what a gift is love, these are our everyday miracles.

(Regarding the baby,) later that Sunday my brother mentioned that the woman with the white blond hair is an albino. He told me usually albinos cannot have children. What a double gift of life for those parents.