Today’s first reading is an interesting story and as I read it and did research on it, although I know it well, I realized there is an important message there for us today.
The story is about Naaman the Syrian. One reason why it is so important is that Jesus cites this story when he speaks to his home synagogue. The people grow angry and then attempt to throw him over a cliff.
Naaman suffered from leprosy which we know is an incurable disease at the time. It is called Hansen’s Disease today. It is so destructive because as the skin deteriorates so do the nerves. Without nerves, sufferers cannot feel pain so they do not know if they have suffered a cut or burn, etc. The resulting infection is what causes the loss of parts of the body.
Naaman learns from a servant girl from Israel that there is a great prophet so he goes to Israel rather reluctantly to see if he can be healed. The prophet looks at him and tells him to wash seven times in the Jordan River. This angers him. You see at this time the world is nationalistic. Syrians are proud of their nation and their gods. So are the Phoenicians and Israelites, etc. So when the prophet tells him to wash in a river in Israel, he thinks it is ridiculous for the simple reason the river water in Syria is just as good if not better than the river water in Israel. He grows angry and leaves.
His men stopped him and reasoned with him. They pointed out that the prophet Elisha just simply asked Naaman to wash in the river, why would you not do it? So, he eliminated his pride and washed in the river seven times as Elisha instructed him and instantly he was healed of this terrible disease.
He immediately yells out how great is the God of Israel.
He experienced a miracle and now he believes.
This is an important message for us. Naaman did not know nor did he worship the God of Israel and when he is healed he believes in this God.
Today people seek signs, should they?
Today people are talking about miracles and seeking miracles and signs. It is more common in the English-speaking community in this country. I attended meetings when people looking to increase the congregation looked for a miracle worker. It may bring people in for a night but will not increase the congregation. As we see in the story of Naaman, miracles of this type are for the unbelievers to help them believe they are not for the believers because they by definition already believe.
What is there for the believers is their prayer relationship with Christ and drawing upon his love and strength to seek to do his will. Catholics draw upon the power of the Gospel. So, we need to seek miracles to accomplish God’s will not miracles to prove he exists because we already believe.
This is why we don’t see huge flashy miracles today. People know of God and either they embrace him or reject him. That work is done. Miracles are not going to help in that area. What is needed is miracles to help us to do his will. Those miracles are not so spectacular and often they are on a small scale.
This is why we should not get excited when a pancake looks like the face of Jesus. If it is a miracle it is for the unbelievers, not the believers. Our miracles are for helping us to do God’s will.
Miracles for our time?
I don’t know if I told you this story but if I did, it’s worth repeating. When I was new to returning to the Church, while in the Navy, our ship changed homeports from San Diego to Long Beach, California. We had to ask permission to drive to Long Beach instead of riding with the ship so that we could move our cars there. The stipulation was you better be there when that ship arrives.
That day, I made a huge mistake. I prayed to ask God to help me to trust him more. Never pray for that because he will answer it. I was driving taking Interstate 5 which is what Interstate 95 is for the West Coast—Mexico to Canada. I just got into Orange County at Mission Viejo and my tire went flat.
I opened the trunk. No spare.
It just so happened I was stopped next to a shopping mall over the hill that looked down on I-5. There was a JC Penney and they had an auto center there. However, I did not know if I had the money for a new tire. I didn’t, but it just so happened that not only did they sell used tires, they just happened to have my size. They changed the tire and I did arrive on time in Long Beach, California. That could have been a disaster for me but it was not.
For the record, the Navy base there was not far from the bridge that connected Long Beach and San Pedro. When you looked down from the bridge you saw the Love Boat, that was where the Pacific Princess moored. San Pedro is the origin city of the song Hot Rod Lincoln. If you have not heard the song from Commander Cody and his Lost Planet Airmen, do remember I do hear confessions on Wednesday.
It was clear through the grace of God that all things fell into place that got me to the base on time. It was then I learned to trust God that things would work out.
However, this was a tiny miracle because if you believe, you do not need big miracles to prove that God exists, you need smaller miracles to be able to do God’s will.
This is why I am not so enamored by huge miracles and I do not look for them or encourage them. I do believe in prayer and its power but God helps us in little ways to do his will. He does not have to change the landscape for us to believe. He only needs to give us the tools to do his will. This is why prayer is so important for us so that we can be transformed in our minds as St. Paul teaches and grow in our ability to do His will that we need. Big huge showy miracles. Not so much.
Remember to listen to our radio show WROL 950 am in Boston and WROLRADIO.com outside of Eastern Massachusetts it airs at 3pm ET M-F. The show then podcasts at CatholicAudioMedia.com.
When in Boston visit our parish in Allston. Our homepage is StAnthonyAllston.org
photo: CanvaPro
Namaan the Syrian and Miracles for Today