Seeing that we are in the Christian season of Easter, which has its focus on Jesus' resurrection from the dead, I thought I would offer some reflections on the topic of "miracles."
The commonly held belief is that miracles happen when things that would not seem to be possible become so (ie. Jesus of Nazareth raising from the dead three days after being crucified by the Romans).
However, for us to even call something a "miracle" is a tad misguided because we never have the security or comfort to know that anything is certain. For us to say that anything is certain about our role in the universe is a fallacy. And so, to say we know what is and is not a miracle is a fallacy. We are always at the mercy of our limited perspective and understanding on reality. How can anyone know exclusively what is or is not miraculous? We can't. We don't have it in us as finite beings to know what is or is not miraculous.
Moreover, we would be wise to consider the words of Saint Augustine, who said that all of life is a miracle. Everything is a miracle. Pride stars when we fall prey to the lie that says our flesh, blood, and breath are ours and are not a gift from the Creator. From this perspective, it makes no sense for us to say that "x" is a miracle and "y" is not.
No one can ever understand all the mysteries and complexities of life, which means that we all work on a level of faith. Even the most brilliant minds work from founding presuppositions and must concede faith in what is not know to them.
To embrace and to take comfort in responsible faith is to receive all of life as a miracle and is the next step in our ongoing quest to rightly seek further understanding.
Might this line of thought open the door for all of us to believe that the mighty deeds of Jesus (and even Jesus' resurrection from the dead) were actually true and real? Indeed, we might we even consider believing that "miraculous healing" still happens today?
The Creator God can at any moment work to accomplish what we regard to be a miracle. And dare I say that God can even work through our will and faith to accomplish a miraculous occurrence. He is, of course, free to do that.
April 7, 2010
April 6, 2010
Suffering Love
A good little Easter season reflection that I just had to post...
Suffering Love
By: Dr. Willis Van Groningen, Chaplain Trinity College Chicago
“Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows … the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Isaiah 53: 4,6
“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.” I John 3:16
There are formative moments in a person’s life that forever change us. One of mine occurred on the edge of a swamp.
It was early fall and our little student retreat was getting ready to wind up and return to campus. We’d had a great weekend together. The lake was beautiful, the night air chilly, and the campfire stories ranged from revelry to revelation. Now it was late Sunday morning. The final event before we turned for home was going to be an outdoor worship service.
We hiked back into the woods, climbed up and over a rise, and there, laid out before us, was a sheltered inlet. The entire floor of this little inlet was a swamp. But rising from each side of the swamp were the most glorious trees you could ever imagine. The colours were radiant. Bright reds, vivid yellow, offset by patches of dark green. The scene took our breath away. Without a word, we just sat down, mesmerized by the glory of God on display before us.
It took a while, but finally one of the students remarked: Swamps are the greatest. All kinds of junk flows into them, but by the time the water leaves on the other side, it’s pure as crystal. All the muck and rotting detritus of upstream collects here, only to be transformed into the richest of soil, and clean clear water.
God’s love is like a swamp. God’s love absorbs all our sorrows and grief, takes to itself all our iniquity and sin, and transforms it all into life and life more abundant. Love suffers. And when our suffering love is freely offered in service to others, we participate in God’s great work of redeeming and transforming the world.
Prayer: God of wonder and grace, we thank you for taking up our sin and suffering so that we might be redeemed and transformed. May our lives exemplify that same suffering love you lavished on us, so that we might help others find life and life more abundant with you. Amen.
Suffering Love
By: Dr. Willis Van Groningen, Chaplain Trinity College Chicago
“Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows … the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Isaiah 53: 4,6
“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.” I John 3:16
There are formative moments in a person’s life that forever change us. One of mine occurred on the edge of a swamp.
It was early fall and our little student retreat was getting ready to wind up and return to campus. We’d had a great weekend together. The lake was beautiful, the night air chilly, and the campfire stories ranged from revelry to revelation. Now it was late Sunday morning. The final event before we turned for home was going to be an outdoor worship service.
We hiked back into the woods, climbed up and over a rise, and there, laid out before us, was a sheltered inlet. The entire floor of this little inlet was a swamp. But rising from each side of the swamp were the most glorious trees you could ever imagine. The colours were radiant. Bright reds, vivid yellow, offset by patches of dark green. The scene took our breath away. Without a word, we just sat down, mesmerized by the glory of God on display before us.
It took a while, but finally one of the students remarked: Swamps are the greatest. All kinds of junk flows into them, but by the time the water leaves on the other side, it’s pure as crystal. All the muck and rotting detritus of upstream collects here, only to be transformed into the richest of soil, and clean clear water.
God’s love is like a swamp. God’s love absorbs all our sorrows and grief, takes to itself all our iniquity and sin, and transforms it all into life and life more abundant. Love suffers. And when our suffering love is freely offered in service to others, we participate in God’s great work of redeeming and transforming the world.
Prayer: God of wonder and grace, we thank you for taking up our sin and suffering so that we might be redeemed and transformed. May our lives exemplify that same suffering love you lavished on us, so that we might help others find life and life more abundant with you. Amen.
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