WOF 443: How Should We Understand Miracles?

Over 83 percent of Americans still believe in miracles, but what, specifically, are miracles? What are the grounds for believing in them, especially for non-eye witnesses? In the Catholic context, who has the authority to deem an event miraculous? Should Catholics incorporate devotions to Church-approved supernatural events like apparitions of the Virgin Mary and post-Ascension appearances of Jesus Christ into their faith life? We discuss the Catholic understanding of miracles and how the miraculous fits with a comprehensive evangelical vision of the life of the Church.

A listener asks if it was a sin when those healed by Jesus in the Bible told others of their miraculous healing, though Jesus had told them not to tell.

00:00 | Intro 01: 20 | Update on Winona-Rochester's new pastoral center 03: 10 | Distinguishing miracles from improbable or impossible events 06:15 | Conditions necessary for the miraculous 10:58 | The relationship between nature and grace 14:10 | How miracles are confirmed 16:44 | Science and miracles 20:09 | Miracles and the Bible 23:19 | If God's revelation is complete, why do miracles continue? 25:50 | The Vatican's recent document on apparitions 27:14 | Addressing skepticism of the miraculous 31:05 | Listener question 32:54 | Join the Word on Fire Institute

• Poll citation: https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/4400922-americans-ghosts-aliens-devil-survey/
• Word on Fire Institute: https://institute.wordonfire.org/

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