In order for an event to be a miracle, according to the Catholic Church, the event must be unusual, instantaneous, spontaneous, and complete. And there must not be a natural explanation. Also, others must see the event, and it must be a mystery that can only be the result of an act of God.
But they won’t take my word for it or yours. Miracles are confirmed through a process involving experts in recognizing miracles. The experts collect eyewitness statements and documentation. A group organized and commissioned by the Vatican examines this evidence. The investigation includes multiple peer-reviewed diagnoses by medical experts.
If a majority of group members agree that a miracle occurred, the event is classified as a miracle and sent to a commission of theologians for ratification. This group sends their decision to the Pope for the final decision. The event officially becomes a miracle through a step called canonization.
In our reading from our companion book for this week, Blair Houston Monroe calls the FBI to investigate her stolen Star of Texas. With no clues to go on, their investigation lasted only three days. The embittered woman offers a $25,000 reward, but with enough strings attached that she is certain no one will ever collect it. Who and how was a total mystery.
Ollie finally talks to Jones about his bitterness towards Blair Houston Monroe. When Ollie was nine, she once told him that his dad was a coward and in hell. Ollie was too young to understand the ignorance of what he was told but old enough to hold a grudge.
Jones offers Ollie an important life lesson. Love is always more powerful than hate. Ollie’s dad is not in hell. It doesn’t work that way. But Ollie will someday find himself at a crossroads where he’ll decide if he is willing to take the path of love.
Meanwhile, Ollie is hard at work collecting old tires and hiding them in the woods. Something’s brewing
Miracles performed by Jesus get a pass on the canonization process since He is the ultimate and actual miracle-doer. Nevertheless, look up a list of miracles performed by Jesus, and one is missing. I presume it isn’t classified as a miracle because it happens too frequently, and it doesn’t seem the least bit impossible. Still, scripture says that it’s only possible with God’s intervention.
Luke tells a story about Jesus and His followers traveling through Samaria, which has a special place in scripture. First, Jews and Samaritans were like oil and water. Their dispute dates back to the time when Ancient Israel split into two kingdoms. The Northern Kingdom kept the name Israel, while the Southern Kingdom called itself Judea.
The division between the two groups of people widened after Assyria conquered Israel. Assyria used a strategy of assimilation to manage their empire. The families of Israel eventually merged with families from other parts of the Assyrian empire.
Judea eventually fell to the world power that conquered Assyria. Babylon used a different strategy to rule over its vast empire. The political leaders, professionals, and scholars of Judea were captured and relocated to the capital of the empire. They weren’t expected to merge with other families, however. And they were able to hold onto much of their culture and religious beliefs.
None of this history seems to justify the bitterness and disdain each held for the other, however. Jews simply didn’t associate with Samaritans.
But this isn’t the miracle. Jesus occasionally told stories where a Samaritan was the hero. Perhaps Samaritans had a special place in His heart.
The group arrives at a village called Sychar. Jesus sits by a well while the others go to find food. And this is where the miracle begins.
While Jesus is sitting there, a Samaritan woman comes to the well to draw water. But it’s the middle of the day. At that time, women took care of fetching water but did so in the morning when it was cooler and to have water on hand for the day.
A lot has been written speculating on why this woman went to the well when no one else was there. The well was like a barbershop or hair styling salon. It was also a social setting where news was passed, ideas were shared, and a community was built.
If you only knew what God gives and who it is that is asking you for a drink, you would ask him, and he would give you life-giving water.
John 4:5-30
She certainly wasn’t expecting a Jewish man to be sitting by the well. But there He was.
The woman was stunned when Jesus asked the woman for a drink of water. A man speaking to a strange woman wasn’t right. A Jewish man speaking to a Samaritan woman was over the top. But He did.
None of this is miraculous. But listen to what happens next. The two strangers engage in a brief exchange of meaning-packed words that illustrate their separation. They are divided by gender, culture, religious belief, and national alliance.
And then a miracle happens. They find common ground when the woman recognizes who asked her for water. The woman receives the divine gift of living water. Not because of anything she did or did not do.
Jesus obviously receives a pass on what qualifies as a miracle. But how does this story represent a miracle?
The gospel writers share another story about a wealthy man who asks how a person gets into heaven. Afterwards, when Jesus is asked how it is possible for anyone to meet the standard, He replies, “Everything is possible for God.”
Jesus is asked the question after he gave an observation that was easier for a camel to pass through the eye of the needle than for a well-off person to get into heaven. This makes the idea impossible to our contemporary ears.
However, Jesus was likely referring to a very narrow gate somewhere in Jerusalem. Camels pass through only after all of the load they’re carrying is removed. We’re all burdened down with baggage that keeps us on this side of the gate.
Fortunately, miracles happen every day, even if they’re not officially canonized.
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Pastor Tommy
Parts of our series are inspired by Andy Andrews. Just Jones: Sometimes a Thing Is Impossible . . . Until It Is Actually Done. Nashville: W Publishing Group, 2020.