here & now

Dec 12, 2020

Apparition (definition):
an unusual or unexpected sight 

a remarkable or unexpected appearance of someone or something.

Today is the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and this Mexican place of pilgrimage is the third most visited shrine in the world receiving almost 20 million pilgrims each year.

Many people are skeptical about the possibility that Mary might appear on earth, or that other similarly remarkable and unexpected things could happen. While there’s nothing wrong with having doubts or reservations, when skepticism limits our ability to see the full reality of human existence (which can never be reduced to the rational and tangible) then we are living a rather limited existence.

Life in relationship Jesus Christ opens a new dimension of existence, beyond what we can reasonably expect or presume to be possible. Without Christ the best we can hope for is what we can achieve for ourselves. With faith, the miracles worked by Jesus are offered to us today.

These miracles will often be unusual and unexpected, and cannot be satisfactorily explained to those seek rational and tangible evidence.

Our problem is that while we accept that miracles and apparitions might happen for other people in other times and other places, we struggle to believe that God will work miracles for us, and will communicate with us here and now as directly.

An Invitation:

  • Place your need before Jesus, and expect Him to communicate with you clearly and directly today in a way that you know to be a miracle worked by Jesus personally for you today. 

10 Comments

  1. Our Lady of Guadalupe is kept very busy in Mexico.
    Right now with C19, poverty, migration…
    The people utterly trust her with all sized medallions in shops, homes, vehicles.
    I personally witnessed several small miracles in the taxi I was in. The driver had a large image of Our Lady of Guadalupe swinging back and forth on the front windscreen, cutting off his view of the road!
    After many near misses we arrived safely.

    Reply
    • Love that – we need as many chuckles and miracles as we can get.

      Reply
  2. Amen

    Reply
  3. Thank you Father John, I hope that my eyes and mind will be open today so that I don’t miss the miracles you work in my life!
    Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us ❤️

    Reply
  4. You speak the truth. Miracles happen.

    Reply
  5. Sitting here this morning I have had several touches that have brought me to tears He knows me so well and is so loving and gentle, which is of course how we are moved to respond to others.
    Made me realise how could I not believe this is my reality

    Reply
  6. As I re-read yourReflection this afternoon Fr. John, this is truely remarkable. I have been sent a text from a granddaughter who is coming to visit this afternoon. The circumstances, believe me are too long to explain.
    But it is a miracle sent from Jesus. As I believe and have faith in that belief.
    Thank you. SKJ

    Reply
  7. I believe in
    apparitions miracles
    From since a child, Amen.
    “I wished I could place a
    Million Smiles,on
    The lands of sadness, so
    All who walk downcast,
    May each gather,
    ‘two Special Smiles’
    One to keep,and one to
    Place down for another.

    “I dont do poetry”)while looking at a cloud, these words came from my mouth!!
    Thankyou Fr John,
    giving me the courage
    to share,

    Reply
    • That’s so lovely Dian. Thank you for sharing.

      Reply
  8. I ve found that time is often slowed down and waiting sometimes weeks, months, or longer…until I ve forgotten even asking…then our gentle God will answer unexpectedly.

    Reply

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