Nothing Short of a Miracle

One doesn’t have to look very hard in the Gospels to find accounts of a miracle taking place – healings, resurrections, exorcisms, etc. Jesus used all of these as moments of healing, both physical and spiritual. But, don’t think that when Jesus left that He took this power with Him. He breathed the Holy Spirit upon His apostles, and they too were able to perform these miraculous works. Fast forward to the 21st Century and miracles seem to be much less common. Society has turned to science for answers, and people refuse to acknowledge that God is still capable of working miracles through the intercession of those who have passed on before us – our Fathers and Mothers, the Saints. The book I am reviewing today, Nothing Short of a Miracle, details 25 modern-day cases of miraculous healings. Nothing Short of a Miracle begins with the death of Pope John Paul II, who will soon be Saint John Paul the Great. Immediately upon his death, people in St. Peter’s Square chanted what millions worldwide were thinking, “Santo subito! Santo subito!” In English, that means, “Sainthood now!” Elsewhere in the world, a French nun named Sr. Marie Simon-Pierre Normand suffered from Parkinson’s disease, the same affliction that hampered this great man’s final years as pope. Sr. Normand’s community began seeking John Paul II’s intercession for a cure, and though the result wasn’t an immediate yes, she did eventually receive her cure. This story reminds me of a lesson I learned growing up. God always answers prayers, just not on our schedule. The rest of the book follows a similar format as the above account. Each chapter focuses on someone who is seeking intercession and healing from a future saint. The saints include well-known figures such as Mother Teresa, Padre Pio, and Elizabeth Ann Seton, but it also includes lesser-known saints like Francis Xavier Seelos, Frances Cabrini, and Solanus Casey. Miraculous healings have been attributed to the intercession of each of these individuals.  If this seems hard for you to grasp, know that each healing has been thoroughly verified by the Church, and the miracle is therefore authentic. These great men and women aren’t some huckster “healers” who seek to drain your wallet and poison your soul. These are people who have gone before us to eternal life and have a direct audience with God in heaven. Apart from being an educational book about our modern-day saints, this book is also very inspirational. We live in a broken world in desperate need of healing. It seems like every day you hear about something else causing cancer. Questions abound. Why would a good God let this happen? Why aren’t there more saints? Why aren’t there more healings?  This book won’t answer that question, but it will help your faith and encourage you to pray to the saints for the healing of yourself or a loved one. May we all be like the women in the Bible who suffered from the internal bleeding and seek to merely touch the hem of Jesus’ garment that we may be cured.