Why don't we see 'signs & wonders' today?

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FightingFat

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This Sunday’s first reading is from [BIBLEDRB]Acts 5:12-16[/BIBLEDRB]

The question that seems obvious is why don’t we see our pastors performing signs and wonders today? How do we go about addressing this question?
 
That my friend is the right question. We do see signs and wonders just not much in the Catholic Church. One problem I see is that after we hear the word in church, we finish the mass and go home. The bible says signs and wonders will follow to confirm the word.

For those priests who walk in the holy spirit if we just prayed for the sick after preaching the word then the signs and wonders will be done by God to honour his word.

Us lay people can do it too. However remember Matthew 6 33. But seek first the kingdom (of God) and his righteousness.

The 4 gospels are full of Jesus telling us to go and do it. Here’s a couple of my favourites from matthew and mark. I’m compiling a list but that’s all i’m up to yet.

Matt 7 24 Everyone who listens to these words of mine and ACTS ON THEM will be like a wise man …

Matt 10 8 Cure the sick, Raise the dead, cleanse leppers, drive out demons. Without cost you have received, without cost you are to give.

Matt 21 21

matt 28 18 (after the resurection) All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disiples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the father, and of the son, and of the Holy Spirit.

MK 6 mission of the 12

Mk 11 23

Mk 11 24

and my favourite Mk 16;16 These signs will accompany those who BELIEVE; in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. They will pick up serpents (with their hands) and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick and they will recover.

Jesus says the one who believes in me will do the things I have done and greater. I wonder if many of us are actually believers sometimes.

There are many ministers and pastors receiving signs and wonders at their services but we usually don’t hear much about it. Of all the ones I’ve researched there’s only 2 that I think are legitimate and I can find no fault with and no reason to doubt. I don’t like the ones that have become huge stage shows so I have not bothered studying what they teach against the bible. My research has led me all over the place and back to the Catholic Church. We need to get the signs and wonders happening for us too. God will do it if we start doing what the bible tells us to do.
 
We do see such signs and wonders. Every time a saint is canonized, at least one or two (can’t remember how many) miracles have to be investigated and approved. And believe me, the investigation process is quite strict and thorough. For example, if someone claims that a venerable person’s intercession cured them of cancer then they have to provide medical evidence to back this up. I think they would also require a statement from a doctor saying that there is no scientific explanation for the cure.
 
There have been, and still are, signs and wonders in the Catholic Church.
Read the saints, especially the mystics. For a modern one, read about Padre Pio who died in 1968.

Read about approved apparitions. Not only is the apparation miraculous, but also the many healings that take place at the apparition site – physical and emotional healings.

Read about Eucharistic Miracles. There are some recent, ongoing ones.
 
In John 14:12, Jesus says: "“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do…” (RSV)

In fact, our pastors do signs and wonders all the time. Who do you know that can assistant in changing bread and wine to the Body and Blood of Christ? Who do you know that, through their words, can help in forgiving sins? Who do you know that, through their words and water, can effect a change in a person so that he or she becomes a child of God?
 
There are signs and wonders in todays time but
  1. we are too busy to see them
  2. we have too little faith, that nagging doubt at the back of our minds that will slip in when we ask for something…
  3. we look for proof that undermines the miracle, like science. and once we see that there is a scientific reason we deny it as a miracle…God has given us great scientific knowledge over the past few centuries so that has taken a little of the miracle out of it.
 
dee_burk said:
There are signs and wonders in todays time but
  1. we are too busy to see them
  2. we have too little faith, that nagging doubt at the back of our minds that will slip in when we ask for something…
  3. we look for proof that undermines the miracle, like science. and once we see that there is a scientific reason we deny it as a miracle…God has given us great scientific knowledge over the past few centuries so that has taken a little of the miracle out of it.
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But often times science will confirm that it is indeed a miracle. 🙂
 
Holly3278 said:
But often times science will confirm that it is indeed a miracle. 🙂
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Actually, while I agree with you in general, let’s qualify that. Scientists brought in to examine a miracle do not declare it a miracle. What they do rather is exhaust all natural explanations and declare that they cannot find any.
 
Scottgun said:
Actually, while I agree with you in general, let’s qualify that. Scientists brought in to examine a miracle do not declare it a miracle. What they do rather is exhaust all natural explanations and declare that they cannot find any.
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You are right. 🙂
 
I asked a priest this many years ago…it was in 1974…I remember that encounter very well.

I asked why we do not see the miracles of the Bible today?

He answered, ‘We now have the sacraments.’

I think Dee Burk hit it on the head as well, that if we are receiving the Sacraments, she implies we are too caught up in the world – the great affliction over the Church today – and are missing great miracles around us.

The same priest told me the greatest miracle to him is the change in attitude, if you look at what the power of man does to the world who does not have God’s life in him.
 
Blessed are those who do not see and yet believe. 🙂

We have advanced so much in the last decade. Nothing can surprise us anymore. Miracles would be explained away with science or nature, not giving due praise to the Creator. Remember, Jesus did not want to perform a miracle in a town because He sensed their disbelief. We are many times worse than the people of that age.

Another reason is perhaps we need to go back to basics of our faith. Many of us are too ‘familiar’ with God, just like the people of Nazereth. We may marvel at them not recognising Jesus as the Messiah but we are too many times too guilty of this. We do not recognise Him in our lives. We need to love God, truly love Him. Then we can see the miracles He has placed in our life.
 
mcrts said:
Blessed are those who do not see and yet believe. 🙂
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One of my favorite biblical quotes :).

Anyway, in today’s world, I can’t imagine there being all that many spectacular miracles like are spoken of in the past. Imagine the Miracle of the Sun in Fatima happening today? It would be on YouTube within seconds. God doesn’t like to “show off” for the world. There are some who see His miracles, but the majority do not. As is said, blessed are those who do not see and yet believe.
 
bluerose said:
My brother-in-law (a priest) received 97 people into the Church at the Easter Vigil.

How’s that? 👍
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Thats awesome…

I think anytime a prayer of mine is answered, its a “sign & wonder”. Especially when there is no doubt that it was answered by God.
 
The sacraments did not replace signs and wonders. We should be getting them in todays age. They were ‘common’ in the days of the apostles and should still be today.

How are we the church going to get the glory of God to cover the whole earth without them.
 
dee_burk said:
Thats awesome…

I think anytime a prayer of mine is answered, its a “sign & wonder”. Especially when there is no doubt that it was answered by God.
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This:thumbsup: And besides my life has been full of signs and wonders.I remember a few months ago a prayer of mine was answered on the 9th day of a novena i was doing in honour of St Theresa of Lisieux…that was surely a miracle.
The very fact i am alive today and a medical doctor at the age of 23 despite the fact that i have had a chronic illness(sickle cell anaemia) since birth which is almost incompatible with life(my elder brother died from it when he was 2yrs old) is sure a Miracle!!!
So we dont need to look too far in search of miracles. All we need is to do simple things with much love and faith in Christ and miracles will be pouring on us like rain.And the Catholic Church is a source of graces which lead to all sorts of miracles if only we believe Christ and the Holy Spirit are acting through it.😉
 
sennincatholic said:
This:thumbsup: And besides my life has been full of signs and wonders.I remember a few months ago a prayer of mine was answered on the 9th day of a novena i was doing in honour of St Theresa of Lisieux…that was surely a miracle.
The very fact i am alive today and a medical doctor at the age of 23 despite the fact that i have had a chronic illness(sickle cell anaemia) since birth which is almost incompatible with life(my elder brother died from it when he was 2yrs old) is sure a Miracle!!!
So we dont need to look too far in search of miracles. All we need is to do simple things with much love and faith in Christ and miracles will be pouring on us like rain.And the Catholic Church is a source of graces which lead to all sorts of miracles if only we believe Christ and the Holy Spirit are acting through it.😉
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Exactly, they are there, we just dont notice because there are no fireworks or news interruptions in the media to tell us. but they are in our hearts if we look.

just last Sunday i asked the Holy Spirit for something to strengthen my faith (i wasnt able to confirm with the other candidates and needed help) and BLAMO! monday night, out of the blue at the Amer. Legion meeting, i was invited to join some of the women in the Council of Catholic Women on Wednesday for lunch and quilting. i didnt even know they were Catholic, and i dont have any Catholics in my family or friend base. what a blessing and being with them once a week will surely keep me strong and on the right path…Prayer answered:thumbsup: God is Awesome
 
Signs and wonders are all around us. Heavenly signs only last week in Florida, incorruptible saints and Marian apparitions (Lourdes, Fatima, Guadeloupe and Nakita my favorites)…plus we have the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist at every mass.

Note though, if we see Chariots racing through the clouds…we ought to be aware and take heed (see writings of Josephus before the fall of Jerusalem).
 
The term ‘signs and wonders’ in Sunday’s first reading is an expression which occurs frequently in Acts and is also an expression used frequently in the Exodus traditions to describe the way in which YHWH preformed mighty deeds through Moses (Ex 7:3; 11:10; Deut 6:22; 26:8).

Acts is replete with examples of fabulous healings and raisings from the dead wrought by the Apostles. Today, evangelicals make up stuff on the tv, some drink poison or handle rattle snakes to replicate these miracles.

I’ve heard it argued that we just don’t have enough faith these days, but I figure there must be someone on here who can offer a more theological answer?

Don’t get me wrong, I’m a faithful Catholic, I’m just looking for ideas on how to approach this and give a good answer!
 
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