Choose a topic from Part 2B:
1. The knowledge brought to men by prophecy, by the giftof tongues, and by the gift of words, needs to be authenticated asrevealed truth. This is done by the working of miracles. The giftof performing miracles is, therefore, a gratuitous gift andgrace.
2. A miracle is a wondrous fact or event, beyond the powerof any creature, and produced by almighty God. In the working of amiracle, God often uses a human being as his instrument;in this case, the human being has the gratuitous grace and gift ofmiracles. Now, it is possible that the human instrument of a divinework should not be himself a holy man. For the divine work ofmiracles is meant to prove truth, and even a sinner can teachtruth. But there are miracles which are wrought to prove theholiness of the person who is their instrument; in this case, to besure, the truth confirmed by the miracle and the holiness of theinstrument are one and the same thing.
"Those who love God are always happy, because their whole happiness is to fulfill, even in adversity, the will of God."
St Alphonsus de Liguori
* * *
"The one thing necessary which Jesus spoke of to Martha and Mary consists in hearing the word of God and living by it."
R. Garrigou-Lagrange, OP
* * *
"Spiritual persons ought to be equally ready to experience sweetness and consolation in the things of God, or to suffer and keep their ground in drynesses of spirit and devotion, and for as long as God pleases, without their making any complaint about it."
St Philip Neri
* * *