The Oxford Dictionary states that a “Miracle” is an extraordinary and welcome event believed to be the work of God , a saint, etc. A miracle could be a question of faith above reason. In the holy Puranas, there are various stories of miracles involving several Gods and Goddesses Among them the favourite has always been those of Lord Krishna’s. In Hindu society and other faiths these stories of miracles have the power to strengthen ,reaffirm beliefs and even change the lives of people.
The “ Circle of Life “ was the miracle vision which Buddha had in the process of his meditation in achieving enlightenment. Sociologists would refer to the Lord Buddha’s miracle as most welcome to the rejuvenation it introduced in Hindu society in a breakaway bid to tone down the often tough way of life-style in certain areas of their religious laws and customs.
The Christian Bible, however, is documented and authenticated with miracles. The Sacred Book is divided in two parts : the Old Testament and the New Testament. Miracles in the first book are many, with prophets making statements of a coming Messiah , which would all come true after hundreds of years in the second book.
The miracle of creation , the ark built by Noah , the burning bush, the dividing of the Red Sea etc. are events in the history of the Old Testament. In the holy books of the New Testament we have the Virgin birth , the coming of the Messiah , His ministry and miracles – the greatest miracle of all time, His resurrection.
C.S.Lewis, the theologian (1898-1963) said, a miracle was an “interference of nature by supernatural power.” Saint Thomas Aquinas in his writing , Summa Theologica seven hundred years ago stated , that a miracle consists in whatever God does outside or beyond the order commonly determined or observed in nature. With miracles , in essence, we are confronted with faith versus reason , or as one might interpret an incompatible world-view with belief systems. All this leaves society with two groups of people : those who believe and those who don’t.
Stigmatism , a bizarre phenomena is a miracle. Walking on red hot coals is a miracle. A faith-healer , or a clay figure of a cow drinking milk , a bleeding icon etc. are miracles. Every religion has their own miracle : the Hindu, the Sikh, the Jews, the Christians, the Chinese and so on.
Miracles often permeates the physical world. They are even generated by the spiritual realm. Miracles are a phenomena, often beyond human explanations or the attributes of science. Miracles , from Lazarus to Lourdes are keeping on happening. ESP (Extra Sensory Perception) , NDE ( Near Death Experience) , UFO ( Unidentified Flying Objects) Visions of the Virgin Mary etc.
are miracles.
Recently, in Colorado Springs a mother Tracy Hermanstorfer, 34, went into cardiac arrest at the moment when she was to give birth at the Memorial Hospital on Christmas Eve. With prompt attention and speed the Doctors did a Cesarean Section and delivered a boy-child who came through lifeless, said Mike ,the boy’s father. Tracy Hermanstorfer’s heart had stopped beating. The doctors revived the newborn child. Seconds later Tracy ’s pulse returned inexplicably – a sign that she might regain her life. For four minutes she had been without a pulse. And then, the Doctor said both mother and child were safe and healthy. There was no medical explanation.
“That’s why,” said Hermanstorfer, “ I mark this up as a miracle.” Yet, another miracle took place after 23 years when a woman Delia Knox, 46 was hit by a car on Christmas Day 1987, by a drunk driver. She became paralysed in her legs and lost all hope of ever walking. In 2010 Delia attended a healing service at an evangelistic meeting in Mobile , Alabama . The preacher was Nathan Morris. After Nathan prayed for Delia, she felt the Holy Spirit saying to her ‘ Get up’, and she did, feeling life return to her legs after 23 years. She walked. There was no medical answer from the side of science. It was a miracle.
No comments:
Post a Comment