Why did Jesus heal people?

 

Why did Jesus heal people? Was it because He had pity on them and He cared and loved them; or was there another reason? Let us read this (abridged) story from the Gospel of John Chapter 9 onwards:

As He went along, He saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him ... While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

After saying this, He spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. “Go,” He told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam”. So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.

His neighbours and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” ... .... ... But he himself insisted, “I am the man.” ... ... ...

They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind ... ... .... He answered, “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become His disciples too?”

Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses! We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, (Jesus), we don’t even know where He comes from.”

The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where He comes from, yet He opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does His will. Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, He could do nothing.”

To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out.

Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, He said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”

“Who is He, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in Him.”

Jesus said, “You have now seen Him; in fact, He is the one speaking with you.”

Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshipped Him.

Jesus said, “For judgement I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.”

Some Pharisees who were with Him heard Him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?”

Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.

The important lesson from this reading is that Jesus asked the blind man, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" That is: Do you believe in Me as being the Son of God?      

Then He adds, "I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind." Meaning, there are many who know and accept that I am the Son of God yet they deny it publicly.  

The Pharisees get His message and ask, "Are we blind too?" To which Jesus replies, "If you were (spiritually) blind - i.e. you did not know any better, you would not be guilty of sin. But since you claim you can see, (i.e. you know and understand who I am), then you are guilty."

Time and again when performing miracles, Jesus asks people if they believe in Him as the Son of God.

When He was told of Lazarus' death He said, "This illness does not lead to death; rather it is for God’s glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it." (John 11:3 onwards). Later He says to Martha, "I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" She said to Him, "Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world." 

When the tomb of Lazarus was opened Jesus said for all to hear, "Father, I thank you for having heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me."

And again in Mark 9:16 when  He meets the man with a son possessed with an evil spirit. Jesus checks the man's faith by asking "If I can?". "All things are possible to him who believes!"

To which the man responds the immortal words, "I do believe; help my unbelief!" Confirming that he believes in who Jesus is.

Every time Jesus performed a miracle it was to glorify God and to prove His credentials as the Son of God. Turning water into wine, feeding the thousands, calming the sea, walking on water.  

Of course, He cared for the suffering and the plight of the people. He loved and cared for them; but underlining His miracles was the desire to show us that He was/is the Son of God. Time and again He said, "Your Faith has saved you!" Meaning, your Faith in me that I am the Son of God has saved you.

"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6 

The truth is the truth. Whether you believe it or not, it does not change it from being the truth. 

Jesus said no one comes to the Father except through Him.

We have to decide whether we believe Him ... or not.

Who are you feeding?

 

One miracle which is recorded in all four gospels is the feeding of the five thousand. (Matthew 14:13-21 Mark 6:30-34 Luke 9:10-17 and John 6:1-14).

In all four accounts the main details are the same. There were about five thousand people and Jesus was given five loaves and two fishes. He took the loaves and fishes, looked up to Heaven and gave thanks to God. The loaves and fishes were distributed to the crowd. Everyone ate and had enough and there was plenty left over.

Jesus took what little there was and after praying to God the little became much more to distribute amongst the people. And that is the miracle.

God took what little there was and made it into plenty. 

In John's gospel it says that there was a boy there with five loaves of barley bread and two fishes.

How about you?

Have you offered your five loaves and two fishes to God?

We may all think we do not have much to offer. But let us look again. We all have some talent or skill which we can share with each other. Just a little, offered in good faith, God can turn to plenty.

Imagine for example your Blogs maintained faithfully and attracting many readers. We never know who might visit us without leaving a comment. To many, whatever you might say there about God and what He has done for you, would probably be the first time they get to read or hear about God. Your article may well be a trigger to get them to search and learn more about God.

What a privilege that is for you.

Think about it.

Where there is Faith ...

 

Mark 9:16 onwards.

I recommend you read this Bible passage as it has a lot for us to learn. Here's a summary:

There was a man with a son possessed with an evil spirit. He said to Jesus, "I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit but they could not!"

The child was brought to Jesus and having explained about his condition since childhood the man said, "If You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us!" 

"If You can?" echoed Jesus. "All things are possible to him who believes!"

To which the man responds the immortal words, "I do believe; help my unbelief!"

These words were spoken as a prayer for us. How often do we get into a situation where our faith falters and we're not sure what to believe any more? There is no shame in turning to God and saying honestly, "Help me God ... I don't know what to believe!"

Jesus was impressed by the man's honesty and He healed his son.

But the story does not end there. Later, the disciples asked Jesus, "Why could we not drive out the evil spirit?" 

Jesus answered, "This kind cannot come out, except by prayer."

I think what Jesus is teaching us here is true faith. We may pray and pray, but are our prayers accompanied by faith? Do we truly believe that God will answer them positively?

Whilst the disciples of Jesus could not at the time drive out the evil spirit, later on we learn that they too performed many miracles.

In the book of Acts Chapter 3 we read that as Peter and John went into the Temple to pray they met a man at The Beautiful Gate who had been lame all his life. The beggar expected money from the two apostles. Peter turned to him and said, ‘I don’t have silver or gold. But what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth get up and walk!’ and the man was healed.

The important thing to note here is that Peter said ‘in the name of Jesus Christ get up and walk.’

It is God, through Christ, who performs miracles and not the disciples or the apostles or any of us.

Later on in Acts 5 Verse 12 we read that many miracles were performed by the apostles. Sick people lay in the streets so that Peter’s shadow would fall upon them and heal them. And indeed many were healed.

Even today, miracles happen in the name of God through Christ.

All we have to do is believe in an unbelieving world.

Miracles? Really?

 

You cannot possibly be a Christian and not believe in miracles. The whole of Christianity is based on miracles. 

An angel visits a young woman and she conceives a child as a Virgin. A miracle.

A Man is crucified and dies horribly yet three days later He is raised from the dead. Another miracle.

The whole of Christ's life, as described in the Gospels, is studded with miracles He performed for the benefit of others. From changing water to wine, to feeding the thousands, to the many healing miracles and raising of the dead. Jesus performed miracles, not just to help people in need, but also to glorify God and underline His Divinity.

After Christ was raised to Heaven, another miracle, we learn that the disciples and the first Christians performed many healing miracles.

Even before Jesus came to earth, we learn from the Old Testament of many miracles performed by God for His people. The parting of the sea for Moses and his people to cross over to safety. Feeding the Israelites with manna from Heaven on their exodus journey. Water flowing from the rock. People healed. Raising of the dead. And so on.

Today, sadly, many people have become sceptical. Including Christians. Many doubt that miracles happen at various shrines throughout the world. Places like Lourdes, Knock, Fatima and so on. Some Christians would mumble and say it is "unexplained" or a "mystery" rather than proclaim or say outright that miracles do happen.

Yes today ... now ... to any of us. Anywhere. You don't need to go to a shrine for a miracle to happen. Miracles can happen everywhere. At home, in church, in a hospital, anywhere. To anyone. 

As long as we believe.

Do you?

Miracles

Father Ignatius approached the pulpit and said, “Hands up all those who have been to Lourdes!”

Quite a few hands went up.

“Keep your hands up,” he said, “now hands up those who went to Fatima, Knock or any other Holy Shrine!”

A few more hands went up.

“OK …” continued the priest, “hands down. Now hands up again anyone who has had a miracle happen to them at any of these places!”

No hands went up.

The priest waited a few seconds and then continued.

“Just as I thought! No one considers that a miracle has happened to them. Which of course begs the question; Do miracles happen these days?

“The truth is that miracles do happen these days; but people are not willing to believe in them.

“Perhaps they expect spectacular miracles to happen … Raising of the dead. Walking on water, changing water into wine … now that was a good one!

“Anything less than that and our Faith has not been stimulated enough to even consider it as a miracle, let alone believe it has happened.”

He stopped once again, as he usually did in his sermons, to allow the challenge to sink into the parishioners’ minds.

“I’d like us to consider for a while what is a miracle and who actually performs it when it happens.

“Spectacular miracles, as you would wish them to be, like healings from incurable illnesses and diseases do happen at Lourdes and elsewhere even today. There is plenty of documented evidence if you wish to research it.

“Many people have been healed suddenly with no explanation from medical or scientific sources. They remain unexplained and are accepted as miracles performed at the many Shrines visited by the sick person.

“Miracles happen elsewhere too … not just at these Shrines. Miracles can happen in churches, hospitals or even at your homes … if it is the will of God that they should happen.

“This then leads to the second question. Who performs these miracles?

“Is it Our Lady, the Mother of God at Lourdes or her other Shrines? Is it the particular Saint you happen to be praying to for help? Or is it God?

“And when we pray to individuals before they become Saints for a particular favor, or miracle even … like Padre Pio, Pere Charbel, and so on before they were made Saints by the Vatican … who performed the miracles do you think? Was it the particular person prayed to or was it God?

“Isn’t it after all the performance of miracles, or the answers to prayers, one of the tests which our Church considers as a requirement to Sainthood?”

He paused yet again.

“There are those who say that only God or Jesus can perform miracles; and to pray to Saints, or even people who have not even yet been considered as Saints, is wrong.

“Let me read you something from Acts of the Apostles … you can look it up yourselves at Acts 3.

“You’ll remember that as Peter and John went into the Temple to pray they met a man at The Beautiful Gate, as it was called, who had been lame all his life.

“The beggar expected money from the two apostles. Peter turned to him and said, ‘I don’t have silver or gold. But what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth get up and walk!’ And of course the man was healed.

“Later on in Acts 5 Verse 12 we read that many miracles were performed by the apostles. Sick people lay in the streets so that Peter’s shadow would fall upon them and heal them. And indeed many were healed.

“The important thing to note here is that Peter said ‘in the name of Jesus Christ get up and walk.’

“So yes … the apostles whilst they walked this earth, and now they are in Heaven, can and do perform miracles; they have not lost their ability to perform miracles, in the name of Jesus, just because they’re in Heaven.

“And so does Our Lady perform miracles in the name of her Son Jesus. As do Padre Pio, Pere Charbel and many other Saints. But they do so in the name of Jesus. It is very important to remember that.”

Father Ignatius stopped once again having pressed his point home.

“And now we move on to our last question,” he said, “for today at least!

“What role does our Faith has to play in the performance of miracles?

“Jesus said time and again to the sick, ‘Your Faith has healed you. Your Faith has saved you.’

“He did not say, ‘Wait … let me click my fingers and hey presto you’ll be healed … Because I’m great at miracles!’ ”

The congregation laughed. The priest continued.

“He made a point of saying that the people’s Faith played a great part in their healing and in their salvation.

“The sick did not stay at home and think ‘Oh well … if Jesus wants to heal me, He’ll do so in good time … I don’t need to go and see Him!’

“They went out to seek Him. They believed in this man who was different. A holy man, a teacher, a healer, the Son of God.

“They had heard about Him, and now He’s in their town or village they went out to find Him … in hope, in desperation perhaps, and even in Faith … as small as a mustard seed! But that little Faith, however tiny it was, is what saved and healed them.

“The blind man shouted at the top of his voice to attract Christ’s attention and to be healed.

“The old lady pushed her way through the crowds in order to get close enough to just touch His cloak and be healed.

“The Roman soldier believed in Jesus so much that he thought just one word from Him would bring healing.

“That’s what I mean by true Faith … it plays a great part in the performance of miracles.

“It need not be our Faith that saves us … the Faith of others, on our behalf can and does bring miracles and healing to us.

“The Roman soldier was asking for healing for his servant, not for himself. His Faith helped heal his servant.

“The men who broke the roof off a house and lowered the man in his sick bed down to Jesus showed Faith on behalf of their friend … and their Faith was rewarded.

“All the people who lay in the streets hoping that Peter’s shadow may fall upon them showed great Faith too.

“As indeed do all those who visit Lourdes, Fatima, Knock and all the Holy Shrines.

“Let me conclude by saying that miracles do indeed happen today. Both great and small. They are performed by Saints and those yet to be Saints through the power of Our Lord Jesus Christ

“Faith plays a great part in the performance of miracles.

“And before you ask … we do not have to go to the Holy Shrines for our prayers to be heard, or for our miracles to happen. All we need is to trust in God and be willing to accept His will in His time and in His way.

“We need a little Faith … not much, just a mustard seed’s worth!”

MORE FATHER IGNATIUS STORIES HERE

 

The miracles amongst us

Life and the passing of time is like a video that we see on the screen. Over the years many people have featured in this seemingly ever-lasting video.

Now if I were able to rewind this video back ... way back ... to almost the very beginning when the people of the time were not even aware of their very existence. If I were to explain to those people how, by bringing together the male and the female of the species, we somehow create a new life. If I were able to explain how the male and female components come together and the biological/chemical reaction, or whatever you wish to call it, can create a new life. The people of the time would be totally amazed at the intricacy of it all and call it a miracle.

They would be right. For indeed it is a miracle how two get together and create a new life.

It is also a miracle how this new life starts as a small replica of its origin, and yet it grows, and as it does so it undergoes many changes until the time comes when it too can create a new life. It is also a miracle how every such life reaches a stage where it suddenly stops and ceases to exist.

Let us make no mistake about it. Birth and death are both in themselves miracles. How is it possible that we can create a new life and how and why is it possible that all life at some point ceases to exist.

As we study the intricate details that make up life, and its very existence, we cannot help but wonder that it must be the work of some super power, some "Engineer", who planned, designed and executed such a complicated series of events that make up life and death.

Wherever we look, if we had the time, or willingness, to stop and think, we see the hand of this "Engineer" at work.

We look up to the sky and see the sun, and moon, and all the stars. How do they come to be there, hanging in mid air, moving in their own way and direction without bumping into each other like balls in a pinball machine?

Everywhere around us there are examples of this "Engineer" at work. Things that we take for granted and no longer wonder at.

Because of the passage of time, because we have seen these wonders happen over and again many times, because we are too busy living our own selfish lives, without even questioning how we came to have this very life we have been entrusted and enjoy ... because of all these things ... we fail to see what is obvious for us to see and appreciate.

Familiarity breeds contempt, it seems.

"The world is charged with the grandeur of God." said Gerard Manley Hopkins.

Perhaps I should add, "Some are too blind to see it!"

Miracles

Father Ignatius approached the pulpit and said, “Hands up all those who have been to Lourdes!”

Quite a few hands went up.

“Keep your hands up,” he said, “now hands up those who went to Fatima, Knock or any other Holy Shrine!”

A few more hands went up.

“OK …” continued the priest, “hands down. Now hands up again anyone who has had a miracle happen to them at any of these places!”

No hands went up.

The priest waited a few seconds and then continued.

“Just as I thought! No one considers that a miracle has happened to them. Which of course begs the question; Do miracles happen these days?

“The truth is that miracles do happen these days; but people are not willing to believe in them.

“Perhaps they expect spectacular miracles to happen … Raising of the dead. Walking on water, changing water into wine … now that was a good one!

“Anything less than that and our Faith has not been stimulated enough to even consider it as a miracle, let alone believe it has happened.”

He stopped once again, as he usually did in his sermons, to allow the challenge to sink into the parishioners’ minds.

“I’d like us to consider for a while what is a miracle and who actually performs it when it happens.

“Spectacular miracles, as you would wish them to be, like healings from incurable illnesses and diseases do happen at Lourdes and elsewhere even today. There is plenty of documented evidence if you wish to research it.

“Many people have been healed suddenly with no explanation from medical or scientific sources. They remain unexplained and are accepted as miracles performed at the many Shrines visited by the sick person.

“Miracles happen elsewhere too … not just at these Shrines. Miracles can happen in churches, hospitals or even at your homes … if it is the will of God that they should happen.

“This then leads to the second question. Who performs these miracles?

“Is it Our Lady, the Mother of God at Lourdes or her other Shrines? Is it the particular Saint you happen to be praying to for help? Or is it God?

“And when we pray to individuals before they become Saints for a particular favor, or miracle even … like Padre Pio, Pere Charbel, and so on before they were made Saints by the Vatican … who performed the miracles do you think? Was it the particular person prayed to or was it God?

“Isn’t it after all the performance of miracles, or the answers to prayers, one of the tests which our Church considers as a requirement to Sainthood?”

He paused yet again.

“There are those who say that only God or Jesus can perform miracles; and to pray to Saints, or even people who have not even yet been considered as Saints, is wrong.

“Let me read you something from Acts of the Apostles … you can look it up yourselves at Acts 3.

“You’ll remember that as Peter and John went into the Temple to pray they met a man at The Beautiful Gate, as it was called, who had been lame all his life.

“The beggar expected money from the two apostles. Peter turned to him and said, ‘I don’t have silver or gold. But what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth get up and walk!’ And of course the man was healed.

“Later on in Acts 5 Verse 12 we read that many miracles were performed by the apostles. Sick people lay in the streets so that Peter’s shadow would fall upon them and heal them. And indeed many were healed.

“The important thing to note here is that Peter said ‘in the name of Jesus Christ get up and walk.’

“So yes … the apostles whilst they walked this earth, and now they are in Heaven, can and do perform miracles; they have not lost their ability to perform miracles, in the name of Jesus, just because they’re in Heaven.

“And so does Our Lady perform miracles in the name of her Son Jesus. As do Padre Pio, Pere Charbel and many other Saints. But they do so in the name of Jesus. It is very important to remember that.”

Father Ignatius stopped once again having pressed his point home.

“And now we move on to our last question,” he said, “for today at least!

“What role does our Faith has to play in the performance of miracles?

“Jesus said time and again to the sick, ‘Your Faith has healed you. Your Faith has saved you.’

“He did not say, ‘Wait … let me click my fingers and hey presto you’ll be healed … Because I’m great at miracles!’ ”

The congregation laughed. The priest continued.

“He made a point of saying that the people’s Faith played a great part in their healing and in their salvation.

“The sick did not stay at home and think ‘Oh well … if Jesus wants to heal me, He’ll do so in good time … I don’t need to go and see Him!’

“They went out to seek Him. They believed in this man who was different. A holy man, a teacher, a healer, the Son of God.

“They had heard about Him, and now He’s in their town or village they went out to find Him … in hope, in desperation perhaps, and even in Faith … as small as a mustard seed! But that little Faith, however tiny it was, is what saved and healed them.

“The blind man shouted at the top of his voice to attract Christ’s attention and to be healed.

“The old lady pushed her way through the crowds in order to get close enough to just touch His cloak and be healed.

“The Roman soldier believed in Jesus so much that he thought just one word from Him would bring healing.

“That’s what I mean by true Faith … it plays a great part in the performance of miracles.

“It need not be our Faith that saves us … the Faith of others, on our behalf can and does bring miracles and healing to us.

“The Roman soldier was asking for healing for his servant, not for himself. His Faith helped heal his servant.

“The men who broke the roof off a house and lowered the man in his sick bed down to Jesus showed Faith on behalf of their friend … and their Faith was rewarded.

“All the people who lay in the streets hoping that Peter’s shadow may fall upon them showed great Faith too.

“As indeed do all those who visit Lourdes, Fatima, Knock and all the Holy Shrines.

“Let me conclude by saying that miracles do indeed happen today. Both great and small. They are performed by Saints and those yet to be Saints through the power of Our Lord Jesus Christ

“Faith plays a great part in the performance of miracles.

“And before you ask … we do not have to go to the Holy Shrines for our prayers to be heard, or for our miracles to happen. All we need is to trust in God and be willing to accept His will in His time and in His way.

“We need a little Faith … not much, just a mustard seed’s worth!”

Miracles DO happen ...

Miracles.

Father Ignatius approached the pulpit and said, “Hands up all those who have been to Lourdes!”

Quite a few hands went up.

“Keep your hands up,” he said, “now hands up those who went to Fatima, Knock or any other Holy Shrine!”

A few more hands went up.

“OK …” continued the priest, “hands down. Now hands up again anyone who has had a miracle happen to them at any of these places!”

No hands went up.

The priest waited a few seconds and then continued.

“Just as I thought! No one considers that a miracle has happened to them. Which of course begs the question; Do miracles happen these days?

“The truth is that miracles do happen these days; but people are not willing to believe in them.

“Perhaps they expect spectacular miracles to happen … Raising of the dead. Walking on water, changing water into wine … now that was a good one!

“Anything less than that and our Faith has not been stimulated enough to even consider it as a miracle, let alone believe it has happened.”

He stopped once again, as he usually did in his sermons, to allow the challenge to sink into the parishioners’ minds.

“I’d like us to consider for a while what is a miracle and who actually performs it when it happens.

“Spectacular miracles, as you would wish them to be, like healings from incurable illnesses and diseases do happen at Lourdes and elsewhere even today. There is plenty of documented evidence if you wish to research it.

“Many people have been healed suddenly with no explanation from medical or scientific sources. They remain unexplained and are accepted as miracles performed at the many Shrines visited by the sick person.

“Miracles happen elsewhere too … not just at these Shrines. Miracles can happen in churches, hospitals or even at your homes … if it is the will of God that they should happen.

“This then leads to the second question. Who performs these miracles?

“Is it Our Lady, the Mother of God at Lourdes or her other Shrines? Is it the particular Saint you happen to be praying to for help? Or is it God?

“And when we pray to individuals before they become Saints for a particular favor, or miracle even … like Padre Pio, Pere Charbel, and so on before they were made Saints by the Vatican … who performed the miracles do you think? Was it the particular person prayed to or was it God?

“Isn’t it after all the performance of miracles, or the answers to prayers, one of the tests which our Church considers as a requirement to Sainthood?”

He paused yet again.

“There are those who say that only God or Jesus can perform miracles; and to pray to Saints, or even people who have not even yet been considered as Saints, is wrong.

“Let me read you something from Acts of the Apostles … you can look it up yourselves at Acts 3.

“You’ll remember that as Peter and John went into the Temple to pray they met a man at The Beautiful Gate, as it was called, who had been lame all his life.

“The beggar expected money from the two apostles. Peter turned to him and said, ‘I don’t have silver or gold. But what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth get up and walk!’ And of course the man was healed.

“Later on in Acts 5 Verse 12 we read that many miracles were performed by the apostles. Sick people lay in the streets so that Peter’s shadow would fall upon them and heal them. And indeed many were healed.

“The important thing to note here is that Peter said ‘in the name of Jesus Christ get up and walk.’

“So yes … the apostles whilst they walked this earth, and now they are in Heaven, can and do perform miracles; they have not lost their ability to perform miracles, in the name of Jesus, just because they’re in Heaven.

“And so does Our Lady perform miracles in the name of her Son Jesus. As do Padre Pio, Pere Charbel and many other Saints. But they do so in the name of Jesus. It is very important to remember that.”

Father Ignatius stopped once again having pressed his point home.

“And now we move on to our last question,” he said, “for today at least!

“What role does our Faith has to play in the performance of miracles?

“Jesus said time and again to the sick, ‘Your Faith has healed you. Your Faith has saved you.’

“He did not say, ‘Wait … let me click my fingers and hey presto you’ll be healed … Because I’m great at miracles!’ ”

The congregation laughed. The priest continued.

“He made a point of saying that the people’s Faith played a great part in their healing and in their salvation.

“The sick did not stay at home and think ‘Oh well … if Jesus wants to heal me, He’ll do so in good time … I don’t need to go and see Him!’

“They went out to seek Him. They believed in this man who was different. A holy man, a teacher, a healer, the Son of God.

“They had heard about Him, and now He’s in their town or village they went out to find Him … in hope, in desperation perhaps, and even in Faith … as small as a mustard seed! But that little Faith, however tiny it was, is what saved and healed them.

“The blind man shouted at the top of his voice to attract Christ’s attention and to be healed.

“The old lady pushed her way through the crowds in order to get close enough to just touch His cloak and be healed.

“The Roman soldier believed in Jesus so much that he thought just one word from Him would bring healing.

“That’s what I mean by true Faith … it plays a great part in the performance of miracles.

“It need not be our Faith that saves us … the Faith of others, on our behalf can and does bring miracles and healing to us.

“The Roman soldier was asking for healing for his servant, not for himself. His Faith helped heal his servant.

“The men who broke the roof off a house and lowered the man in his sick bed down to Jesus showed Faith on behalf of their friend … and their Faith was rewarded.

“All the people who lay in the streets hoping that Peter’s shadow may fall upon them showed great Faith too.

“As indeed do all those who visit Lourdes, Fatima, Knock and all the Holy Shrines.

“Let me conclude by saying that miracles do indeed happen today. Both great and small. They are performed by Saints and those yet to be Saints through the power of Our Lord Jesus Christ

“Faith plays a great part in the performance of miracles.

“And before you ask … we do not have to go to the Holy Shrines for our prayers to be heard, or for our miracles to happen. All we need is to trust in God and be willing to accept His will in His time and in His way.

“We need a little Faith … not much, just a mustard seed’s worth!”

Miracles?

Sebastian was eight years old. He had been ill most of his young life having been in hospital several times for tests and operations and even more tests.

He spent most of his time in a wheelchair and needed constant attention from his parents and his two older sisters.

Father Ignatius knew the family well and visited them about once a week. They were rather poor, not unusual in this miserable desolate town with high unemployment and business closures.

The kindly priest often gave them some money to help supplement the family budget; although he pretended it was to pay his share of the evening meals he sometimes shared with them.

They usually prayed the Rosary as a family before their meals with the priest; and Sebastian’s mother would always dream that one day she’d be able to save enough money to take Sebastian to Lourdes so that Our Lady would heal him.

Her husband, John was more skeptical and felt somehow that his son was destined do be ill. Besides, there was no chance that they’d ever have any money anyway … so what’s the use of dreaming.

One summer the St Vincent de Paul Group in church organized a coach tour to Lourdes. They would travel South to the coast and take the ferry across to France.

Father Ignatius managed to find enough funds to take with them Sebastian, his parents and his sisters.

The coach was full to capacity and Father Ignatius had led prayers that Our Lady would listen to all intentions and bring them to Jesus our Healer of body and soul.

The tour was very successful. Sebastian had seemed more vibrant and lively than at any time before. He certainly enjoyed the many visits to Lourdes and the surrounding places to visit; and the whole family were greatly enriched by the kindness, friendship and fellowship of everyone on that coach.

Some may think that there was no miracle on that coach or for Sebastian and his family at Lourdes.

But they would be wrong.

That trip to visit the Holy Shrine strengthened Sebastian’s father’s Faith. He learnt that there is hope in dreaming. The family did go to Lourdes and it did benefit Sebastian and his sisters no end.

Sebastian’s mother was greatly enriched by the journey and the time spent praying to Our Lady. As did her two daughters who felt that much closer to their younger brother in a wheelchair.

Sebastian’s Father made a new acquaintance on the coach trip with the manager at a local factory. He managed to get a job at the factory and now no longer relies on donations from Father Ignatius to feed his family.

Sebastian’s mother also found a job working part-time three days a week at the local bakery. All because she happened to sit next to the church organist on the coach and discovered in conversation that she works at the bakery Personnel Department.

Somehow, purely by accident, they met a specialist doctor staying at the same hostel in France as the coach travelers. Father Ignatius had a few gentle words with him and Sebastian is scheduled to travel to a London hospital for further tests, and hopefully further treatment to help him live a better more comfortable life.

No … there was no miracle at Lourdes for those travelers from St Vincent Church. There were several.