In Theory

Yes, I believe in the veracity of Exodus’ account of a thorn bush that burned but was not consumed, of the plagues visited upon Egypt, of the parting of the Reed Sea, and of the daily supply of manna that sustained the Israelites in the wilderness. I believe in a God who is not limited by the laws of nature and who can suspend them at will. I believe in both overt miracles that reveal God’s mighty arm and concealed miracles that reflect his hidden hand.

Nature is no more than God acting in a consistent manner, like the pianist following his score without flaw. Just as God can follow a script at will — i.e., nature — so God can improvise at will — i.e. a miracle.

I prefer to focus not so much on miracles that interrupt, counteract or violate nature as on miracles that infuse nature. What wisdom lies in Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s miraculous vision: “Earth’s crammed with heaven, And every common bush afire with God; But only he who sees, takes off his shoes — The rest sit round it and pluck blackberries.”

One of the foremost miracles is when man acts on faith.

RABBI MARK S. MILLER

Temple Bat Yahm

Newport Beach

Merriam-Webster defines “miracle” as “an extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention in human affairs.” There has been no shortage of miracles throughout human history. One need look no further than Old and New Testaments. Many canonized saints performed well-documented miracles in their lifetimes.

I can provide very recent examples from my own parish. The results of an ultrasound showed that a pregnant woman’s unborn child had serious defects. The woman’s mother began praying for the health of the child. The subsequent test revealed that the baby was healthy.

I recently administered anointing of the sick and prayed over a man who was scheduled for a quadruple bypass the following day. The operation never took place, however, since right before the operation, the doctors determined that there was no need — the blockages were gone. Do I believe in miracles? Without a doubt.

FATHER STEPHEN DOKTORCZYK

St. Joachim Church

Costa Mesa

Of course I believe in miracles — right here, right now! It seems almost cliquish to say that each moment of our lives is a miracle. Yet we keep looking to saints — or pop stars — for inspiration and community, rather than cultivating an appreciation for our own lives. The guidance offered by most religions is to regard special gifts and bizarre phenomena as a distraction to the spiritual life.

In a traditional Zen story, one monk boasts, “My old teacher can perform miraculous deeds. He can fly across the river and write in the sky. What do you say about these feats?” The other monk replies, “When I eat, I eat, when I drink, I drink and when I sleep, I sleep.” Our desires, opinions, fears and obsessions keep us from entering fully into the experience at hand, whether eating, driving, working or hanging out. But to be able to do so is “enlightenment,” a miracle available to us all.

The authenticity of spiritual experience is tested by its fruits, the good which results. I hope the Vatican will include careful study of racism, abuse and the exploitation of Native Americans in its investigation.

THE REV. DR. DEBORAH BARRETT

Zen Center of Orange County

Costa Mesa

When good things happen that would not normally happen, it is often referred to as a “miracle” simply because the odds were against it. So if you want to define the word “miracle” as meaning something that happens in spite of being very unlikely, that is fine, but to then say that such things can therefore be directly attributed to the intercession of a deceased individual who should therefore be honored with “sainthood” is well beyond reason.

There is always an explanation for such occurrences other than as a “miracle” in the usual sense of the word. Good and bad things happen to everyone. Some of the things that happen would have seemed very unlikely to occur, yet they still happen. You can hit the jackpot in Vegas, just not very often.

Christian Science, revival meetings, visits to Lourdes and sugar pills, as well as innumerable deceased “saints” and other individuals, have all been credited with many cures. But all such cures are just the arbitrary result of a combination of possibilities of which no one has total control.

The final result, if good, cannot properly be attributed to the memory of a individual any more than bad results can be attributed to “evil spells” cast by “witch doctors.”

JERRY PARKS

Humanist Assn. of Orange County