For those who believe in God, no explanation is necessary. For those who do not believe in God, no explanation is possible. Those words are displayed in the opening of the 1943 film “The Song of Bernadette,” a biographical drama depicting the Blessed Virgin Mary’s miraculous appearance to a woman named Bernadette in Lourdes, France. This quote is often cited when individuals hear stories said to have been “miraculous.” In cases where there’s something utterly mind-boggling, like when an individual is given a terrible diagnosis by medical professionals that scientific analysis and experience have determined is horrific, using those dreaded words like incurable, terminal -and then after going to a pilgrimage site like Lourdes or to a Healing Mass and offering prayers and being open to the power of God, where there’s this immediate and complete healing without a trace of the disease that showed up on pathology reports just weeks earlier – people on both sides of belief can find themselves being stunned. And often times demonstrate the truth of those words: For those who believe in God, no explanation is necessary. For those who do not believe in God, no explanation is possible.
Thanks so much for stopping by to read this homily for the 15th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, July 14, 2024. I appreciate your sharing this on your social media posts and your feedback and comments… I’m also grateful for all those who’ve asked for the audio version and share them as well at SOUNDCLOUD click HERE or from ITUNES as a podcast HERE. May the Lord be glorified in your reading and sharing- Father Jim
But when it is something a bit, perhaps, more ordinary, we tend not to imagine that God is somehow involved or active. We tend to dismiss such things as coincidences without considering there might be something more to them.
For example, on the Catholic Prayer Meditation App called Hallow, this woman, Michaela Phimister, shared her story, which she called a miracle titled “Carrying a Suitcase.” She explained that some years ago, when she was a university student in London, England, she would travel to Manchester on the weekends, which was always a somewhat challenging trip. She would often have to navigate the public transportation of the London Underground with heavy luggage. On this particular day, as she travelled, she happened to be reading a book about angelic encounters – not the dangerous new-age stuff or the stuff of fiction writers, but something based on Catholic theology explaining these supernatural beings and how God has assigned guardian angels to each and every one of us, to every soul He has created. Michaela explained that she had always been intrigued by this aspect of our faith. On this particular day, as she happened to be reading this book, she wondered if her guardian angel had ever revealed himself to her in a meaningful way. She confesses that she said somewhat jokingly in her heart that day, “Okay, guardian angel, if you’re really there, if you can really help me, well, do me a favor. Make yourself useful. Help me carry these cases.” She said she laughed at herself and immediately felt embarrassed thinking that in any way this was rude or disrespectful – while at the same time, she meant it genuinely and sincerely. Well, the train stopped. It’s Friday evening, very busy, lots of people, and she grabbed heavy luggage and started making her way onto the platform. She navigated her way to the very long and somewhat stressful-looking escalator with rushes of people pushing past her, wondering how she might make it to another platform in time to catch her next train. That’s when, out of nowhere, a young gentleman with no luggage, not even a backpack himself, which seemed kind of unusual for a Friday Evening, stopped and said, “Hmm, I think you might need some help with that.” Michaela was stunned and wondered, “Could this really be happening?” as she observed or asked, “Thanks so much, you must be an angel” – to which this stranger simply looked at her and smiled.
She explained in great detail the chaos of the tunnels, the escalators, the platforms, and the crowds and how he seemed to know exactly where she was going, even when her train was in a remote direction away from where the vast majority of people were heading. As they reached the place where she needed to board, Michaela says, “he places his hand down on my suitcase to let go of it – she put down her hand off of the other one, looked up to simply say thank you and in the milliseconds that this was, he was gone – vanished – completely disappeared – leaving her standing there on the train platform with her heart pounding, convinced that she had met her guardian angel.
Was it? It’s doubtful the Church would weigh in on this one. But whether it was something utterly miraculous or just a coincidence of lots of ordinary things lining up in precisely perfect ways – there is something incredibly beautiful about the story that is an important reminder to reflect on. As Catholic Christians, we believe that God often does something utterly amazing that defies nature, logical and reasonable explanations called “miracles.” But that’s not the only way that He operates. And in fact, He expects people to share His word through their example and everyday witness. He expects His followers to be a miracle for others. That’s something these scriptures today highlight for us.
The first reading comes from one of the minor prophets named Amos. They’re called “minor” not because they’re any less important than a major prophet like Isaiah or Jeremiah – because the task of all the prophets is crucial in the Hebrew Scriptures; they are sent by God to proclaim His word to His people. So there’s nothing minor about the task they’re entrusted with, but rather the scope of the mission and length of their service. Amos is a perfect example of a “minor prophet.” Unlike some of the “major prophets” whose entire lives are poured out and spent in this divine service, Amos was a shepherd – doing his shepherding thing, when one day God calls him to stop that noble work, take a shepherd sabbatical to do this divine prophetic work. That’s what makes Amos such a lovable figure. He seemed content and fulfilled doing his shepherding thing. He certainly didn’t need this hassle, which it was. At this point in time, the Jewish Kingdom had been split between the North and the South. He was from the South, being sent by God to go to the North and preach to them how they had fallen away from God by abusing the poor, neglecting the commandments – calling them to repentance and conversion, or else they suffer the consequences of their sinful behaviors. Not much has changed, because just like today, that message isn’t well received. The leaders dismiss the message, and demean the messenger, who says, (and I’m paraphrasing here) “Look, I’m a shepherd; it’s no skin off my back… God told me to tell you He’s not happy, and you better shape up…”
God had spoken through major prophets. And God moved through this simple, humble man. But the message was amazingly similar. God is consistent… God is also amazingly patient and goes to painstaking lengths to speak to us in the extraordinary and the ordinary.
That’s something the apostles experienced in this Gospel. This quite an assorted bunch of sinners who have heard Jesus’ invitation to “come, follow me” and have responded all in their own unique ways with varied levels of belief and commitment are entrusted by Jesus with His power and authority to accomplish some of the very same things that have left them utterly dumbfounded in the Gospel passages we’ve been reflecting on these last few Sundays, from stilling raging seas and violent winds threatening to sink their boat and drown them; to instantly healing a woman suffering from hemorrhages for 12 years simply by touching the hem of His cloak and raising a 12-year-old girl who died. Jesus has demonstrated in jaw-dropping ways that are still treasured 20 centuries later that He was God incarnate in these miracles. But now Jesus turns to the 12 and tells them to go do what He has done – and we read, “the twelve drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.”
Our minds can often imagine extreme scenarios where exorcisms are performed, reminiscent of what we’ve seen in movies, or miracles that astound people similar to when Jesus walked on water or fed the multitudes. There is scriptural evidence that these extraordinary events did occur at times, which is truly amazing, wonderful, and essential.
But the same truths about God’s power and authority and the importance of His message to every single soul on earth are meant to be carried out by all who choose to obey Him and share His message in their everyday lives. Much of the Apostles missions would not be makred by their performing miracles, but taking those impactful moments, treasuring them, being changed by them and incorporating them into their lives, into how they lived. That seems to be the way that God prefers. Where He gives us opportunities to be His prophets, Jesus wants us to cast out demons, to heal, cure, help others in His name through everyday, in ordinary activities
For Michaela, I don’t know if God answered her with this revelatory moment of her Guardian Angel showing himself and helping her carry her luggage or if it was just this providential moment where an anonymous, generous individual was thoughtful, attentive, selfless, and helped her in that moment. Whichever was the case, for Michaela, that was a moment of visitation by God, where she felt His love, attentiveness, and care for her – which is all that matters. God can work in extraordinary and seemingly routine ways, but His message is amazingly the same and needs to be heard.
That’s what the Lord is challenging us with today: to imagine the demons that we can cast out when, for example, we humble ourselves and apologize to that friend, that co-worker, that relative who we’ve dismissed, possibly even for justified reasons. Or when we don’t pass on that gossip about someone, chime in on a feeding frenzy of negativity online that only serves to cause further division and anger. We can find in those ways how the very power of God can be unleashed through us when we own our mistakes, and our bad behavior and sincerely, genuinely, and vulnerably apologize for the hurt we’ve caused. We see evil being defeated by our choosing to let it end with us. In those ways demons can be cast out just as effectively as in an exorcism performed by a priest. And we need to remember how we have been empowered to be a miracle to a sick neighbor whom we might have assumed someone else would be taking care of, by extending some thoughtfulness in checking in and offering some kindness to them. The joy of such kindness can transform someone who may have been isolated, alone, and believing terrible lies about not being cared for. This act of kindness can indeed be miraculous to someone else.
It’s remarkable and telling that this Gospel recounts the apostles as the first ones to perform incredible signs and wonders in Jesus’ name immediately after Jesus was unable to do anything miraculous in the Synagogue of His hometown of Nazareth. Jesus was heartbroken by the lack of faith and belief in those who had known Him the longest and should have been the most receptive, and it caused them to miss tremendous opportunities to experience miracles and be miracles themselves.
May you and I not make that same mistake.
