Do You Believe in Miracles?

“Do you believe in miracles? Yes!” This was the famous quote made by a sportscaster after the U.S. Hockey team beat the Soviets in 1980 to advance to the Olympic gold medal round. The comment was appropriate for the event because a young and inexperienced U. S. Team pulled off what many believed to be a virtual miracle in defeating a vastly more experienced and talented Soviet Team. I remember viewing that game and thinking if someone did not believe in miracles, this outcome would certainly give them pause.

In my case I had begun believing in miracles and all the accompanying supernatural turn of events that goes along with them many years before this fateful night. Since early childhood I was told my namesake was a famous saint capable of many miraculous things. So, one can imagine the thrill it was for me to finally visit the catacombs of St. Gennaro in Naples, Italy a few weeks ago.

As it turns out, apparently the miraculous capabilities associated with St. Gennaro are still active through a ceremony three times a year, simultaneously in two separate locations, involving remains of his preserved blood. This requires a collective act of faith by many who anticipate the outcome of this physical measurable manifestation that is verified with scientific analysis. It involves blood samples of the saint preserved in two small, sealed glass vessels. The samples are observed on certain dates in the designated locations and if the blood liquifies good things will happen. If the blood fails to liquify tragic events may follow. Seems to me like a lot of pressure for any saint.

I am all for any activity that strengthens one’s faith but years ago my search for the miraculous had changed from the external to the internal and from the natural to the supernatural. For me the miraculous is not so much dependent on what is seen but what is unseen. That is, I look for the miraculous in the change of lives more than the change in circumstances. Physical outcomes are always tempered by interpretation. Any measure of physical effectiveness of a miracle may be acceptable by some and doubted by others. In the words of the Vatican ecclesiastical sources that define whether events are miracles or not, the miracles concerning San Gennaro’s blood are “still very discussed and have kept a very cautious judgement from the beginning.”

My bias for the unseen miraculous compared to that which is seen was reinforced with my recent visit to the catacombs of San Gennaro. It began with learning that Gennaro was not a native of Naples but was adopted by the city more than 100 years after his death largely due to the inspiration of the presiding bishop in an effort to encourage the faith of the local believers. Unfortunately, the remains of San Gennaro ended up being moved several times until finally reaching its current location in 1497. Not that any of these actions are bad in themselves, but the whole endeavor begins to take on a feeling of commercialism. But hidden in history is the fact that the intent of these catacombs was for people of faith to assemble to practice their faith, free from any risk of being arrested. Included in this practice of faith in these catacombs was the performance of baptisms, burials, and worship. It is in that practice of worship that I find common ground in my faith and the faith of those believers of centuries ago gathering in the catacombs. That is, I believe true miracles are performed in being open to an experience of faith in worship.

I do not know what the numbers are for church growth globally. I do know that the overall numbers of church members in the United States is in decline. I believe that is the case because the nature of faith is that it must grow, “faith to faith” as described in Romans 1:17. If one’s faith is not growing it is dying. Our spiritual life parallels our physical life. They both must be exercised, or they will be subject to all sorts of vulnerabilities. Our faith must be nurtured, maintained and exercised in order to continue functioning vibrantly. What I believe is needed is a new dimension to be added to our faith communities to birth the miraculous in our lives. Not miracles that are seen, but miracles that are unseen. Places of faith where lives are changed through a faith experience with the God of their faith. Places that will not replace the teaching of the history and the doctrines of our faith but add to it with additional experiences of faith outside the customary routine of church. Places of faith where one can attend in anticipation of having an experience with God or in other words a miracle of the unseen. I believe the faith communities of our nation and perhaps around the world are starved for this type of faith experience!

(Note: To learn more about this type of faith experience I encourage you to read Part Four of my recent work “The Evidence of Things Unseen” available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.)