Contact The Editor
Articles By This Author
Do you believe in miracles?
Throughout history, inexplicable events have occurred yet naysayers refuse to name them miracles preferring to call them a lucky coincidence. In 1980, however, when the young USA team won the Olympic winter game against the behemoth Russian team and then went on to win the gold, it was called, "the miracle on ice".
The following year, a movie by that name debuted and another one opened in 2004 about the same "miracle. I wouldn't call this event a miracle which was the result of hard work but I'll bet some of the players followed the rule of getting a ‘miracle'. What was it, you may ask?
Consider this next modern ‘miracle': On January 15, 2009, U.S. Airways flight 1549 that left LaGuardia airport lost engine power after being struck by a flock of birds and the pilot, ‘Sully' Sullenberger was forced to land the plane in the Hudson River. There was no loss of life and no serious injuries, was that a miracle? One passenger on the "Sully" flight, a banker Fred Berretta recalled saying after hearing the words, "Prepare for impact,' that "I prayed with every fiber of emotion and sincerity I could muster, 'G od, please be merciful to us.'"
Small miracles, huge miracles all seem to defy explanation but when an individual feels a real need for one, there is a natural impulse to plea for help from a higher power. We've all heard the adage-" there are no atheists in a foxhole. There are also no atheists in homes targeted by horrific weather systems or terminal oncology wards. Likewise, this impulse to call for help from their perceived higher power is a purely human and natural response.
The Hebrew and Christian Bibles relate many miraculous events that may or may not be able to be proved but we do have many since where documents confirm the validity of the unbelievable power of prayer. For Catholics, the most powerful prayer is the rosary but any prayer to the Almighty will help. There are specifically two historic events, I believe, which remain the result of the enormous power of the Prayer.
In the 5 th century, Attila the Hun waged a campaign against the Eastern Roman Empire, with his league of Huns raping and devastating most of Europe. Attila , who was known of ‘the Scourge of G od', was utterly cruel in inflicting torture, and was greedy in plundering and inflicting abuse on his conquered victims.
After sacking Milan and other Italian cities, He headed to Rome to demolish the seat of the Empire but was met by one man, Pope Leo, who came there begging on his knees for peace and for Attila to spare the city. According to Vatican archives, he said to him, "Now we pray that thou, who hast conquered others, shouldst conquer thyself. The people have felt thy scourge; now as suppliants they would feel thy mercy."
Unbelievably, Attila turned away and when he was later asked why he did, legend says Attila said that he saw the Apostles Peter and Paul, waving swords of fire and threatening him with death if he did not heed the words of Leo. Whether you believe in his vision or not, this fact remains, Attila did not sack Rome.
The other event was known as the Miracle of Lepanto. In 1571, Christendom was threatened by the Ottoman empire whose forces had already conquered the remains of the eastern half of the Roman Empire, including "New Rome" Constantinople. Now, their seemingly unstoppable forces set their sights on conquering Rome, and from there, the rest of Europe and the New World. Christendom was doomed.
The Church and the Holy Roman Empire, already reeling from the Protestant reformation had been reduced to small, warring nations. Desperate for survival, Pope Saint Pius V persuaded as many Catholic rulers of the Mediterranean as possible to stop the Ottomans, forming what they called the Holy League but could only amass a navy with 33 boats. The Ottomans had a navy three times as large with a record of many successful missions.
On the day of the battle, October 7, 1571, On the day of the battle, the Pope organized a public procession in Rome to pray the Rosary. Against all odds, the Holy League won and the Miracle of Lepanto also created what eventually became known in the Catholic Church as the feast day of Our Lady of the Rosary celebrated on October 7th .
That date is now regarded as infamous as that is the same date in 2023 when Israel was attacked by the terrorist group Hamas which has led to the current Israel vs Hamas war still raging and threatening to lead to WWIII. What happened that day was so vicious and horrific, it should remind us that evil has dominated our world for several years while so many of us continue to deny its existence. Yet what is really frightening is watching the dumbass anti-Israel protests by brain-dead and clueless college students in our own country.
Sins against children have never been so evident in our current society. That the grooming in our public schools to introduce our youngest to a hedonistic and sexually permissive lifestyle is so easily accepted is proof that the wicked is winning. G od help us.
Donald J. Trump, the best friend Israel has ever had, has been targeted for removal in this presidential race and it was inevitable that after the impeachments, indictments, and court trials failed, his life would be next. Prayers by his supporters for his safety have been growing at a phenomenal rate especially after he survived three assassination attempts ( the latest at a Coachella rally this weekend). Trump, himself, has credited his miraculous near-death escape in Butler, Pa. to G od.
A few internet articles were posted that suggested that Christians were not going to vote next month and that would hurt Trump's chance to be reelected. I found that hard to believe because to many of us, it is imperative that only his victory would ensure a return to sanity. Perhaps this implied threat impelled this weekend's prayer rally in D.C. where tens of thousands of evangelical Christians gathered on the National Mall to pray for Americas atonement and for Donald Trumps return to the White House. The event billed "A Million Women" gathering as "a last stand moment to save the nation."
A woman who traveled from Los Angeles to D.C., Grace Lin said, "If we don't stand now, then the enemy will take over our country. If that happens, that's the end."
Count me in with the Million Women who realize that with prayer to G od, all things are possible.
(COMMENT, PLEASE, BELOW