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Thursday, September 20, 2018

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St. Andrew Kim Taegon
St. Paul Chong Hasang & Companions


1 Corinthians 15:1-11
Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17, 28
Luke 7:36-50

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the life of miracles

"I handed on to you first of all what I myself received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures; that He was buried and, in accordance with the Scriptures, rose on the third day." —1 Corinthians 15:3-4

A miracle is an act of God which goes beyond the laws of nature. Christianity began with the miracle of the Incarnation, God becoming man. The essence of Christianity is Jesus' death on the cross when He took away the sins of everyone who has lived or will ever live. He gave everyone the opportunity to be begotten from above (Jn 3:3, 5) and receive a new nature, sharing in the divine nature (2 Pt 1:4). Jesus' resurrection from the dead is the miracle that definitively establishes Jesus' divinity, which is the basis of the Christian faith. Jesus did many miracles in His public ministry and gave His Church and her members the authority and power to do greater works than He did (Jn 14:12).

If we live and die in Christ, we will at death receive the miracle of the resurrection from the dead. The world will end with the ultimate miracle of Jesus' final coming. Then, after Judgment Day, the holy ones will have the miracle of the resurrection of the body. Going to heaven and seeing Jesus face to face will be miraculous. From beginning to end, Christianity is a series of miracles. Therefore, strengthen your faith. Protect it from our secular humanistic culture, which tends to deny miracles and is extremely toxic to our faith.

Prayer:  Lord, strengthen my faith through Your Word (see Rm 10:17).

Promise:  "Her many sins are forgiven — because of her great love. Little is forgiven the one whose love is small." —Lk 7:47

Praise:  St. Andrew's father was martyred for being a Christian. Years later, Andrew was likewise martyred.

Rescript:  †Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, December 15, 2017

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