WHILE we normally use only ordinary means to solve our problems of
whatever type, there are times when we have to resort to extraordinary
means because the predicaments at hand are just too big or complicated
to tackle.
These days, in fact, this type of predicaments is getting plentier. In
the international scene, for example, we are witness to the seemingly
endless terror attacks on innocent people, done completely at random.
These attackers are not afraid anymore to lose their lives.
The value of life has diminished tremendously. If it is not due to
some kind of fanaticism, racism or extreme revenge, it can also be due
to the cheapening of life in general through the widespread
legalization of abortion and other anti-life practices.
In our country, we are seeing nowadays many drug-related killings of
the summary and extra-judicial type. We are also shocked to know the
number of people affected by this problem. In my little, very rural
barrio in Bohol, for example, I was jarred to learn a good number are
involved.
But closer to each one of us, we can also detect an increasing number
of predicaments that often reduce us to helplessness. This can be
brought about by the new technologies that, while giving us a lot of
advantages, can also cause great harm.
Many people, especially the young, are now addicted to pornography, to
uncontrollable games, to plainly wasting time. They are finding it
harder and harder to resist the temptation.
They more or less know that what they are doing is wrong, but they
still do it. But neither can we discount the fact that many people are
now losing the sense of sin, of what is right and wrong, and of
repentance.
It’s clear that the world today is into some serious sickness, more
spiritual and moral than physical and medical. It’s not just some kind
of virus that causes it. There seems to some kind of evil possession
involved. Precisely in the gospel we are told that we are actually
ranged against spiritual enemies, more powerful than the usual germs
and viruses around.
Those concerned say that they cannot explain their condition, much
less, get out of it by themselves. Their condition seems to defy logic
and any human analysis. It overwhelms their usual powers. And any
medical prognosis or psychological relief can only do so much.
This is not to mention that in many cases, those affected by this
disturbing phenomenon are still in the denial stage. They would not
admit that they are in deep trouble. And worse, they know many tactics
to cover up their anomaly. They can appear normal and happy, and yet a
festering problem actually grips them.
This is where we can say that we need miracles. We have to go to
Christ, like those many helpless characters in the gospel who
approached him for a cure. In other words, we cannot anymore rely on
our human natural and human powers to handle these predicaments. We
have to beg for miracles!
Miracles are certainly part of what God has made available for our
problems. When St. Paul said: “God will not let you be tempted beyond
your strength, but with the temptation will also provide the way of
escape, that you may be able to endure it,” (1 Cor 10,13) he must have
included this extraordinary recourse to miracles as one of God’s ways
for us to endure any temptation or predicament.
And so let us go to Christ like the blind man Bartimaeus (Mk
10,46-52), the woman with the flow of blood (Mk 5,25), the 10 lepers
(Lk 17,11-19), the man born blind (Jn 9,1-12), the man possessed by a
legion of devils (Mk 5,1-10), and many others. Let’s go to him without
delay, without hesitation.
We can also help others go to Christ if they themselves cannot do it,
like what the father of a possessed boy did (Mk 9,17-24), those who
brought a paralytic to Christ (Mk 2,4), the centurion who asked Jesus
to heal his servant (Lk 7,1-10), etc. We can do a lot of good to
others if we do this.
What is important is that we approach Christ with deep faith. In those
miraculous cures Christ did, he always referred to the great faith of
those who asked for those miracles.
Let us humble ourselves so that that faith can grow and show itself in
deeds, like intense prayers and sacrifice. Remember what Christ told
his disciples why they could not cure an epileptic boy. It was because
of their little faith. (Mt 17,20)
whatever type, there are times when we have to resort to extraordinary
means because the predicaments at hand are just too big or complicated
to tackle.
These days, in fact, this type of predicaments is getting plentier. In
the international scene, for example, we are witness to the seemingly
endless terror attacks on innocent people, done completely at random.
These attackers are not afraid anymore to lose their lives.
The value of life has diminished tremendously. If it is not due to
some kind of fanaticism, racism or extreme revenge, it can also be due
to the cheapening of life in general through the widespread
legalization of abortion and other anti-life practices.
In our country, we are seeing nowadays many drug-related killings of
the summary and extra-judicial type. We are also shocked to know the
number of people affected by this problem. In my little, very rural
barrio in Bohol, for example, I was jarred to learn a good number are
involved.
But closer to each one of us, we can also detect an increasing number
of predicaments that often reduce us to helplessness. This can be
brought about by the new technologies that, while giving us a lot of
advantages, can also cause great harm.
Many people, especially the young, are now addicted to pornography, to
uncontrollable games, to plainly wasting time. They are finding it
harder and harder to resist the temptation.
They more or less know that what they are doing is wrong, but they
still do it. But neither can we discount the fact that many people are
now losing the sense of sin, of what is right and wrong, and of
repentance.
It’s clear that the world today is into some serious sickness, more
spiritual and moral than physical and medical. It’s not just some kind
of virus that causes it. There seems to some kind of evil possession
involved. Precisely in the gospel we are told that we are actually
ranged against spiritual enemies, more powerful than the usual germs
and viruses around.
Those concerned say that they cannot explain their condition, much
less, get out of it by themselves. Their condition seems to defy logic
and any human analysis. It overwhelms their usual powers. And any
medical prognosis or psychological relief can only do so much.
This is not to mention that in many cases, those affected by this
disturbing phenomenon are still in the denial stage. They would not
admit that they are in deep trouble. And worse, they know many tactics
to cover up their anomaly. They can appear normal and happy, and yet a
festering problem actually grips them.
This is where we can say that we need miracles. We have to go to
Christ, like those many helpless characters in the gospel who
approached him for a cure. In other words, we cannot anymore rely on
our human natural and human powers to handle these predicaments. We
have to beg for miracles!
Miracles are certainly part of what God has made available for our
problems. When St. Paul said: “God will not let you be tempted beyond
your strength, but with the temptation will also provide the way of
escape, that you may be able to endure it,” (1 Cor 10,13) he must have
included this extraordinary recourse to miracles as one of God’s ways
for us to endure any temptation or predicament.
And so let us go to Christ like the blind man Bartimaeus (Mk
10,46-52), the woman with the flow of blood (Mk 5,25), the 10 lepers
(Lk 17,11-19), the man born blind (Jn 9,1-12), the man possessed by a
legion of devils (Mk 5,1-10), and many others. Let’s go to him without
delay, without hesitation.
We can also help others go to Christ if they themselves cannot do it,
like what the father of a possessed boy did (Mk 9,17-24), those who
brought a paralytic to Christ (Mk 2,4), the centurion who asked Jesus
to heal his servant (Lk 7,1-10), etc. We can do a lot of good to
others if we do this.
What is important is that we approach Christ with deep faith. In those
miraculous cures Christ did, he always referred to the great faith of
those who asked for those miracles.
Let us humble ourselves so that that faith can grow and show itself in
deeds, like intense prayers and sacrifice. Remember what Christ told
his disciples why they could not cure an epileptic boy. It was because
of their little faith. (Mt 17,20)
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