One of the important tasks of my apostolate is to communicate the unvarnished truths of Christianity—however unpalatable or intellectually contemptible these may seem to our many cultured despisers.  And one of these truths is that miracles happen.  The supernatural is real even if it is difficult to prove or demonstrate by reason alone.  Although our faith is certainly compatible with reason, reason alone can never bring one to a full acceptance of Church teaching or discipleship with Christ.  Sooner or later—there is just no getting around it—your faith will be tested.  And when faith is truly tested, reason will not be able to carry you.

All throughout the Church’s history prophets have seen the future and miracle workers have healed the sick.  And while much of this stuff belongs to the realm of private revelation, it is nevertheless the case that one must accept such realities in order to be called Christian.  While it is not necessary to believe every visionary or supernatural occurrence, to categorically reject the supernatural is to cross over into heresy.

Some people believe that these subjects discredit our religion in the eyes of many people.  And this is true.  But the avoidance of these subjects is also a discredit to the faith.  Christ warned us that if we would be ashamed of him, he would be ashamed of us.

So do not be ashamed to admit what the Church has always taught—miracles happen.  And lots of smart people have believed in them. Take me for instance! I have written and spoken about my own miraculous experiences that started with my spiritual conversion in 2000 and which reached a climax in Medjugorje.  Eric Metaxas is another one of those “Christian crazies.”  He’s written a whole book on the subject of miracles—called, appropriately enough, Miracles.  He even includes a personal miracle story of his own.  And then there’s John Paul II.  He believed that the Blessed Virgin Mary miraculously intervened to save his life.

Consider the words of St. Paul:

28And God has appointed in the Church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, then healers, helpers, administrators, speakers in various kinds of tongues. 29Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31But earnestly desire the higher gifts (1Cor. 12:28–30).  RSV

So don’t be surprised if, from time to time, I share one of my own encounters with the supernatural.

Update

I was doing research for another blog piece when I stumbled across someone else who admits to seeing Jesus.  Kirsten Powers started out working for the Democratic Party and used to be an atheist.  When she began dating a Christian, she promised him that she would keep an open mind.  Then she saw Jesus. That’s the Reader’s-Digest version.  Here are her own words from an article she wrote for Christianity Today:

Then one night in 2006, on a trip to Taiwan, I woke up in what felt like a strange cross between a dream and reality. Jesus came to me and said, “Here I am.” It felt so real. I didn’t know what to make of it. I called my boyfriend, but before I had time to tell him about it, he told me he had been praying the night before and felt we were supposed to break up. So we did. Honestly, while I was upset, I was more traumatized by Jesus visiting me.

I highly recommend her book The Silencing: How the Left Is Killing Free Speech. JG