Although this miracle would have shown people the true identity of Jesus, Jesus ordered the witnesses (only a selected few of the disciples and the child’s family) to keep the miracle a secret; this is what is known as the “messianic secret”. Jesus did this because he wanted people to have faith in him through a personal experience and not through a story being passed on through word of mouth, which would have probably resulted in the story being exaggerated.
There are more examples of this throughout the gospel, which shows that despite the public outrage and difference of opinion about him, he still carried on keeping some miracles quiet instead of revealing himself, which would be an easier option, and perhaps would have resulted in him not being crucified.
Even though Jesus was a Jew, the chosen, superior race, he healed many outcasts or people that you would expect a Jew in those times to help; he helped a Roman officer, women, Gentiles, widows. This shows Jesus’ true caring nature, and how considerate he really was.
In “Jesus heals a Roman Officer’s servant” Luke 7 verses 1-10, Jesus really shows that he heals every one if they have faith, and because this gentile showed he cared for the Jews (he had built a synagogue for them), Jesus gave an order for the servant to recover, and it was from a distance because even the Roman officer was to humble for a great man to enter his house. By healing at a distance, Jesus had shown how he was stronger than human, and by doing this miracle it is certain that he must be the Son of God.
At this time there were mixed feelings from the public. There were the people who believed him and followed him, and there were the people who despised him and waited at every chance to pull him down.
Although Jesus was a Messiah, he did show human emotion, i.e. sympathy. His heart was filled so much of sympathy in “Jesus raises a widows son” Luke 7 verses 11-17, there was no faith needed for the miracle to happen.
This really shows you that Jesus was brought to this earth as a compassionate, considerate and loving character to heal people so people had a stronger faith in God. Everyone who was healed by one of Jesus’ miracles or who witnessed a miracle converted. This implies that he is such an amazing person and the true Son of God.
RS2
Faith is very important in most peoples’ lives. Faith is a complete trust or confidence in someone or something, even without it being based on proof. Faith is used in everyday situations, not only in a religious form. For instance, having faith in your partner when you get married, having faith in a babysitter that she takes good care of your children and even having faith that your stocks or shares will rise when you invest in them.
However, faith in a religious form is having faith that Jesus really is the Son of God and that he really did the things he did and having faith in the Bible.
Some people devote themselves to their faith. One woman, who is
perhaps one of the most famous woman in the world for devoting herself to
Jesus is Mother Theresa.
Mother Theresa was brought up as a Catholic child in very holy
environment. She would pray with her family every evening and she attended church almost every day. It was her family’s generosity and caring for the poor and less fortunate that made such an enormous impact on Theresa’s life.
By twelve years old, Theresa already knew what her vocation in life would be; she would devote her life to God and help the needy in the poorest areas, she would become a nun.
When Mother Theresa was older, she joined a Loretto convent in a northeast Indian city and spent 17 years teaching there, in Calcutta.
In 1946 Mother Theresa moved to the slums of Calcutta to set up a school. Others soon followed to help her and they created a religious order of nuns called the “Missionaries of Charity”.
She lived a life of minimalism and simplicity. She wore a plain white sari with a simple cross on her shoulder to identify to others who she was. Her mission was, as she said when she accepted her Nobel Peace prize: “to care for the hungry, the naked, the homeless, the crippled, the blind, the lepers, all those people who feel unwanted, unloved, uncared for throughout society, people that have become a burden to the society and are shunned by everyone.”
Mother Theresa opened a number of homes for the poor, the dying- so they could die in dignity, the lepers, the homeless and orphanages. She and her sisters washed and bathed wounds, soothing sores and making them feel wanted.
Mother Theresa became a symbol of untiring commitment to the poor and the suffering. She was often described as a “living saint” and her work went global.
Another Christian whose faith is shown by the way they live is Pope John Paul II. He was born Karol Wojtyla in Poland. On numerous occasions he believed that God was calling him to priesthood, and eventually, he responded to God’s call. He became a priest but then went back to studying philosophy and seven years later he became a professor. That same year he was appointed an auxiliary Bishop and five years later on he was Archbishop of Krakow by Pope Paul VI.
As Archbishop he proved himself a noble and trustworthy pastor and attended all sessions of the Vatican II. He was again appointed by Pope Paul VI to Cardinal of the Roman Church.
In 1978, Karol Wojtyla became the first non-Italian pope since Hadrian VI. Karol Wojtyla took the name John Paul from John and Paul, his two predecessors.
As the Pope John Paul became the most travelled pope in history. He consecrated each place he visited in union with all the Bishops of the Catholic Church to fulfil of Our Lady’s promises at Fatima.
The Pope beatified Sister Maria Faustina Kowalska of the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy giving approval to her life, works and teachings.
The pope dedicated his job and his life to God, and this is why he is recognised in today’s society as someone whose faith is reflected the way he lives. He is possibly one of the most famous men to live his life in such faith, devotion and religiousness
.
Jesus said to his followers: “Heal the sick” Luck 10 verse 9. Today, Christians can still carry out this teaching by healing mentally- physiatrists and therapists, physically- doctors and nurses, and emotionally- counsellors, priests, friends.
You do not have to be trained or be a miracle worker to heal the sick, sometimes you can just emotionally be there as a friend, and every one can do this. This is why when Jesus said: “Heal the sick” he was talking to everyone, everywhere.
RS3
The word miracle means a surprising and welcome event that cannot be explained by scientific law or through nature. When I asked 20 people whether they believed that miracles still happened today, 20% thought that miracles did happen, 40% thought they did not happen and 40% were unsure on the subject.
Surprisingly, the majority of the people who said that miracles did happen were of a mature age. This might mean that because they were with more life experience, they had more to judge on. By saying that they thought miracles did happen today must show that maybe they do.
I looked at peoples different interpretations of the word “miracle” I noticed that it is an over used word in today’s society. It is often used in every day language, i.e. “it was a miracle that she got in to school early today” and “it was a miracle I got an A for my exam”. Some people call a birth a small miracle. And other people say that a miracle has to be something truly mind-blowing and phenomenal to be called a miracle.
Some people may say that miracles do not happen today. They might express that only Jesus has the right to perform miracles, and only he has the power to do something so impressive. Some people believe that Miracles are only an act from the Bible and with a command or touch from Jesus. This is why they believe they do not happen today.
Scientists, generally speaking, do not believe that miracles happen today. It is essential for them to put a scientific explanation to everything, and miracles cannot be explained, although scientists often try to put an explanation to it, even if they can only come up with the fact that they still do not know exactly how the human body works, as it is such a highly complicated and complex mechanism.
Some people on the other hand believe, some more confidently than others, miracles do happen in today’s world. Those who do believe think it of a blessing from Jesus, and an experience that does not happen every day. Such people believe that, as in “Jesus heals a Roman officers servant” Luke 7 verses 1-10, Jesus is healing from a distance, and in today’s circumstances he is healing from God’s paradise.
There is one miracle that is currently being analyzed is one of a man, Mr. X who woke up in the early hours of the morning to find his father standing at the foot of his bed saying “ my son, it is time for you to come with me”. When he looked back, he was having what he could only describe as an out of body experience. He could see himself still in his bed next to his wife, but he felt himself floating “forwards and upwards” into the heavens. He knew at this point he was dead.
He came to a courtyard and he saw his whole life relive itself before him. It was then when he knew that he still had a lot to do on earth and prayed to God to ask him if he could return to earth. He then found himself on the side of his bed, praying. When he told his wife, she was a little skeptical and unconvinced.
He then prayed to the lord to guide his hand whilst painting. All in all, he painted twelve pictures, all the same, all clouds, except for the eleventh picture. He found that if you looked at that painting for long enough, turn away then looked at it again, you could see “Mary kissing baby Jesus in a soft light.” When he returned time and time again to the pictures, there were different holy portraits to be seen. He was not the only person to interpret the painting to have a holy image in it.
He wrote to the Pope John Paul II and his eleventh painting is under intense investigation.
There are believers that this painting is a miracle and thank God for blessing them, but there art other people who are doubtful. The scientists have put it down to either a psychological fixation of the brain thinking that it must see an image. Otherwise, it could be a way in which the painting was painted, so it produces “tricks” and makes images apparent to be holy images of Our Lady.
Many people pray for a “miracle” and some people take it further by traveling to Lourdes, a place of significance and importance to the Roman Catholics because of a girl, Marie Bernarde Soubirous (St Bernadette) has claimed to have had a series of visions of the Virgin Mary.
Some miracles get a seal of approval from the pope, and some do not. Some people still do not believe that the miracles that eventually do get a seal of approval are miracles and other people believe that there are miracles that do not get a seal of approval, but deserve it.
I myself am not sure whether miracles happen today; I personally do not believe I am old enough or mature enough to make such an immense decision on something quite so full of meaning and difficult to understand.
Bibliography
Mark Good News Gospel
Luke Good News Gospel
Matthew Good News Gospel
www.drini.com/motherteresa/her_life/index02.html
http://home.ici.net/~athe/alliance/apostles/johnpaul/life.html
www.miracle2000.freeserve.co.uk/index.htm#top
www.immaculate.force9.co.uk
“Jesus in the Synoptic Gospels” by Diana Morgan
