Sunday, February 10, 2002
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Sunday, February 10, 2002 |
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The wonder of miracles By MARY JANE HOLT
Did you know the word miracle comes from the Latin, meaning a wonder, or a marvel? It comes specifically from mirari, meaning to wonder at, and dates back to the 12th century. Today's dictionaries tell us miracle means: 1 - an extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention in human affairs, or 2 - an extremely outstanding or unusual event, thing, or accomplishment. Christian Science maintains that a miracle is a divinely natural phenomenon experienced humanly as the fulfillment of spiritual law. World Book explains that a miracle is an event that cannot be explained through the known laws of nature. Miracles are generally associated with religion, but any occurrence can be called a miracle if it has no natural explanation, we are told. The major figures in a religion are often credited with performing miracles. These figures include Jesus Christ in Christianity, Moses and the prophets in Judaism, Muhammad in Islam, and various gods in Hinduism. World Book also points out how religions teach that lesser holy figures, such as saints and rabbis, may also perform miracles. People may make pilgrimages to certain sacred places and objects to ask for a miracle. For example, Roman Catholic pilgrims travel to the shrine at Lourdes, France. There they pray to the Virgin Mary to plead with God on their behalf for miraculous cures. Devout members of a religion believe in miracles and consider them a divine sign. Others have an equally firm belief that there is no such thing as a true miracle. They feel that all so-called miracles can be explained through scientific or psychological knowledge. What do you think? Consider this before you answer. Since we have already read that miracle and wonder can be synonymous, be aware that wonder comes from the Old English wundor; akin to Old High German wuntar and also dates back to the 12th century. Wonder, as define here, again by Webster means: a cause of astonishment or admiration as in "It's a wonder you weren't killed." Wonder may also be used to describe the quality of exciting, amazed admiration. Also, you may feel wonder or rapt attention or astonishment at something awesomely mysterious or new to your experience. Such wonder can be accompanied by doubt or disbelief or even overwhelming, unexplainable belief. I'm sure you are wondering where I'm going with this attempt to define "miracle" or "wonder." For years I have written about little and big miracles in my own life and in the lives of folks I have personally known or encountered. In fact, for more than a decade and a half I have been sharing stories with you that portray miracles as I perceive them. I sometimes watch "It's a miracle" on the PAX cable channel. I will admit that I fail to see the miracle portrayed in some of these scripts. But the folks telling their story believe they experienced a miracle. So I have concluded that what is a miracle to one may not necessarily be perceived as a miracle for another. A mother holds to her breast a young child whose body is recovering from fever that threatened to take it from her; she calls the one she embraces a miracle. Another mother says goodbye to the child who never recovered and still recognizes his impact on her life as a miracle. My point is there are different things that cause us to wonder. Many of these things and circumstances or events can be explained by science. Some can't. So, today, I'm asking you to shuffle around in your memory bank and come up with some miracles in your own life. You don't always recognize miracles as they happen and when you do wonder at certain happenings, you may be more likely to refer to some thought or incident as a coincidence. Will you tell me about some of your miracles. Your coincidences. I know I've told you before about the little poster I keep on my office wall, the one that says: "A coincidence is when God works a miracle and decides to remain anonymous." That's what I'm looking for. Will you share? I'm at writemjeh@aol.com or you can write to me at MJ Holt, PO Box 246, Gay, GA 30218. And yes, I want to pass on your stories. If you do not want your name or location printed, tell me so, but please let me tell your stories. You see, the telling causes our faith to grow. Our sense of wonder is awakened anew every time someone else shares about that which has caused them to wonder. I look forward to hearing from you. If you feel you can't write down your experience just send me your phone number and I will call and let you tell it to me.
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