Any idea why we don't have such miracles today?

[Light of the East]

† Great Martyr Eustathius (Eustace) Placidas, with his family (118)

The miracle is that the Lord spoke through a stag to Eustathius, and through an angel to Theopiste.

I have a real interest in this because my children are all uninterested in (and at least one outright hostile to) Christianity. I do pray for them, but wonder why the Lord wouldn't do such wonderful miracles for a father who is praying for his children.

 

[ArmyMatt]

† Great Martyr Eustathius (Eustace) Placidas, with his family (118)

The miracle is that the Lord spoke through a stag to Eustathius, and through an angel to Theopiste.

I have a real interest in this because my children are all uninterested in (and at least one outright hostile to) Christianity. I do pray for them, but wonder why the Lord wouldn't do such wonderful miracles for a father who is praying for his children.

He does. as some examples, Met Leonty of NY has been seen serving the Liturgy after his death, Elder Cleopa of Romania had animals bring him food in exile and who would serve as his choir, St Porphyrios as a hospital chaplain could see through casts when bones weren't set right, etc.

God still does those miracles all the time

 

[~Anastasia~]

† Great Martyr Eustathius (Eustace) Placidas, with his family (118)

The miracle is that the Lord spoke through a stag to Eustathius, and through an angel to Theopiste.

I have a real interest in this because my children are all uninterested in (and at least one outright hostile to) Christianity. I do pray for them, but wonder why the Lord wouldn't do such wonderful miracles for a father who is praying for his children.

And don't give up!!!!! Don't get discouraged over what God seems not to be doing.

More than once I've seen it take a very long time - and often a crisis we never would have asked for - to bring people to faith.

We worry I know. We love people so of course we do. But God already knows. Pray, pray, pray - but trust Him.

God be with you. And prayers for your children.

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

A dead man showing up to church serving liturgy!?

He does. as some examples, Met Leonty of NY has been seen serving the Liturgy after his death, Elder Cleopa of Romania had animals bring him food in exile and who would serve as his choir, St Porphyrios as a hospital chaplain could see through casts when bones weren't set right, etc.

God still does those miracles all the time

 

[buzuxi02]

† Great Martyr Eustathius (Eustace) Placidas, with his family (118)

The miracle is that the Lord spoke through a stag to Eustathius, and through an angel to Theopiste.

I have a real interest in this because my children are all uninterested in (and at least one outright hostile to) Christianity. I do pray for them, but wonder why the Lord wouldn't do such wonderful miracles for a father who is praying for his children.

Many reasons. 1. First off today people are cynical and wont believe even if a man came back from the dead. This is what father Abraham told the rich man when he asked to send someone to warn his family members. When the Jews accused Christ of casting out demons in the name of beelzebub He warned them not to sin against the Holy Spirit by being in denial of the holy as there is no forgiveness for it. In such an environment there is reason to send miracles.

2. Miracles occur in an environment where that culture accepts them as part of their overall heritage. In multicultural societies there is too much doubt and cynicism and skeptics. Christ was scolded by the jewish elders for healing on the Sabbath. If you read the account in Matthew they did not doubt his supernatural ability. They accepted the miraculous healing and in that culture they were expected. Their gripe was more akin to, "why cant you be like the other healers and refrain from doing it on the sabbath".
3. We dont need as many miracles as we have become technologically and medically more advanced. These advancements naturally adds to the skepticism of point 1. Its reciprocal and the more a culture advances and the less it looks towards miracles and more towards scientific inquiry. Jesus said "we" will do greater things than what He did. We do organ transplants, and open heart surgery, and medicines for everything etc.
But miracles do occur rarely but we will always have a bit of skepticism:
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1880016575375442&id=173086936068423

 

[prodromos]

A dead man showing up to church serving liturgy!?

St Nektarios did the same in a village in Romania which had been without a priest for decades.

 

[ArmyMatt]

A dead man showing up to church serving liturgy!?

sure. if the righteous dead are alive in Christ, it could happen often, and does.

 

[Light of the East]

He does. as some examples, Met Leonty of NY has been seen serving the Liturgy after his death, Elder Cleopa of Romania had animals bring him food in exile and who would serve as his choir, St Porphyrios as a hospital chaplain could see through casts when bones weren't set right, etc.

God still does those miracles all the time

These are God being wonderous through His saints.

My example was God appearing to wretched sinners and directing them to salvation. My concern is for my children and my question is, especially since they were baptized ( *sigh* baptism of heretics which may or may not be valid) why not lift the burden of my heart and do something miraculous for them.

My spiritual director says that I need to keep this one phrase in mind. "God is good. I don't understand, but God is good." and stop trying to figure out all the minute details of God. But watching my children destroy themselves, knowing that the Jesus they saw in Bible-thumping Fundamentalism (and from my own wretched sins) turned them completely away from Christ (and who would really want that Christ?) is a hard thing to deal with. My own guilt in this is hard to deal with.

God is good. I don't understand.

 

[ArmyMatt]

These are God being wonderous through His saints.

My example was God appearing to wretched sinners and directing them to salvation. My concern is for my children and my question is, especially since they were baptized ( *sigh* baptism of heretics which may or may not be valid) why not lift the burden of my heart and do something miraculous for them.

My spiritual director says that I need to keep this one phrase in mind. "God is good. I don't understand, but God is good." and stop trying to figure out all the minute details of God. But watching my children destroy themselves, knowing that the Jesus they saw in Bible-thumping Fundamentalism (and from my own wretched sins) turned them completely away from Christ (and who would really want that Christ?) is a hard thing to deal with. My own guilt in this is hard to deal with.

God is good. I don't understand.

Christ appeared to St Silouan of Mt Athos, and they marked the spot with an icon of Christ.

 

[~Anastasia~]

These are God being wonderous through His saints.

My example was God appearing to wretched sinners and directing them to salvation. My concern is for my children and my question is, especially since they were baptized ( *sigh* baptism of heretics which may or may not be valid) why not lift the burden of my heart and do something miraculous for them.

My spiritual director says that I need to keep this one phrase in mind. "God is good. I don't understand, but God is good." and stop trying to figure out all the minute details of God. But watching my children destroy themselves, knowing that the Jesus they saw in Bible-thumping Fundamentalism (and from my own wretched sins) turned them completely away from Christ (and who would really want that Christ?) is a hard thing to deal with. My own guilt in this is hard to deal with.

God is good. I don't understand.

Sometimes self-destruction is the path to God. But that's never what we want to see happen.

It really is best to keep praying, and take comfort that God is good and merciful.

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

Did anyone take some polaroids?

A dead priest serving Liturgy!?! I’d like to see the congregation’s reaction!

I’m having trouble buying this one...

sure. if the righteous dead are alive in Christ, it could happen often, and does.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Did anyone take some polaroids?

A dead priest serving Liturgy!?! I’d like to see the congregation’s reaction!

I’m having trouble buying this one...

Met Leonty isn't the first, and he probably won't be the last

 

[~Anastasia~]

Met Leonty isn't the first, and he probably won't be the last

I've heard of priests, the faithful, angels ... being present in the Divine Liturgy.

 

[ArmyMatt]

I've heard of priests, the faithful, angels ... being present in the Divine Liturgy.

Christ Himself has been known to serve a Liturgy from time to time

 

[icxn]

Met Leonty isn't the first, and he probably won't be the last

Another and a little 'entertaining' one too, is that of the Five Martyrs of Sebaste.

 

[Light of the East]

Christ appeared to St Silouan of Mt Athos, and they marked the spot with an icon of Christ.

Wow!

How blessed are these men and women who enter into the life of solitude and find He who is the Pearl of Great Price.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Wow!

How blessed are these men and women who enter into the life of solitude and find He who is the Pearl of Great Price.

indeed!

 

[~Anastasia~]

Christ Himself has been known to serve a Liturgy from time to time

Wow ...

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

So corpses walk into a parish, celebrate Liturgies, and this news gains no traction!?! Animated corpses, one would think, should grab a headline and get people talking, right?

Nobody got a photo of this? Interviews with the altar boys and deacons or readers who co-celebrated with a dead man?

 

[ArmyMatt]

So corpses walk into a parish, celebrate Liturgies, and this news gains no traction!?! Animated corpses, one would think, should grab a headline and get people talking, right?

Nobody got a photo of this? Interviews with the altar boys and deacons or readers who co-celebrated with a dead man?

no, not a corpse. the person in glory. the same way St Paul was seen whispering into the ears of St John Chrysostom