It was one of those holes on the golf course where a pond is in front of the tee box. I hit the ball, and it barely made it to the other side of the pond. I was sure I would find the ball somewhere by the bank, but another golfer and I could not find it. When the other golfer walked ahead of me in the direction of his cart, I played a joke on him. Pretending that I had found the ball, I shouted, “I found it!”, and I randomly pointed to a spot a few feet away in the tall grass. And lo and behold! The other golfer spotted the lost ball where I pointed. I could not believe what I saw, and I thought to myself that this was a miracle.

Miracles are works of God. They are signs of God acting in an extraordinary way.  Saint Thomas Aquinas said that “a thing is called a miracle by comparison with the power of nature which it surpasses; and the more the power of nature is surpassed, the greater the miracle”. God is the only cause of miracles.

We know that nature can resolve a mild fever with time. But when a person is cured from a fever suddenly without treatment, then it is a miracle. Similarly, nature can produce rain. But when dry air is suddenly condensed into rain at the prayers of a prophet, then it is a miracle. Both miracles surpassed nature’s power. But these miracles hold the lowest rank in miracles.

We also know that nature can give life. But when a dead person is brought back to life, then it is a miracle, because nature cannot give life to the dead. This type of miracle surpasses the power of nature and holds the second rank in miracles. 

To the highest rank in miracles belong the things that surpass the substance or matter of nature itself. These are the things that nature is absolutely unable to do. For example, when a human body is glorified through its resurrection and reunification with its soul, becoming incorruptible and immortal. We only know of two glorified bodies: our Lord’s, and the Blessed Virgin Mary’s.

The material body is subject to suffering and need. We come to the Lord with prayers asking him to surpass the power of nature, especially regarding illness. This is fine since the Lord is the doctor of bodies and spirits.

We also need the power of God to overcome sin. The real reason for all the miracles in the Bible, the wonderful display of God’s power surpassing the powers of physical nature (great events such as the crossing of the Red Sea) is to bestow of the gift of divine life on a person or on an entire group. Miracles always serve the gift of divine life. That’s it. All the bodily healings that the Lord performed in the gospels were intended to help the souls to receive the greater gift of divine life, which is called grace.

At Baptism, God performs a great miracle in our souls: God deletes original sin and bestows on us his sanctifying grace. Now, as long as we live in this body of ours, we experience temptation and sin. And we need God’s power to help us surpass our human nature, and the power of sin. Depending on our individual sinfulness, each one of us needs God’s intervention or miracles to help us. Those of us with venial sins only need small miracles to surpass sinfulness. Those of us who commit mortal sin need greater miracles.

The holy Eucharist is another miracle that holds the highest rank in miracles. Nature is absolutely unable to surpass the matter of bread and wine to make them glorified human flesh and blood! 

The greatest miracle we need from God almighty is the glorification of our bodies. This most precious gift of eternal life is what the Risen Lord came to announce to his disciples on Easter Sunday. This most precious gift of his divine life for eternity is what the Lord promises his disciples, all who believe in him.

Finally, the gift of divine life is received only in faith. How is your faith? Your answer is what allows God to perform miracles in your life. Let us humbly ask the Risen Lord to increase our faith in him.