A miracle is something impossible for us to do and in some unexplained way changes the course of nature.
It is true that these miracles were performed to show that He loved us. But of greater importance, the miracles of Jesus were performed to show that He is God. The chief teaching of the Catholic Church about Jesus Christ is that He is God made man. The proof of this teaching can be found in the miracles of Jesus.
Miracles of Jesus - Jesus Healed The Sick, Cured The Lame, And Gave Sight To The Blind
Instances when the miracles of Jesus showed His healing powers are found in the Bible. One such miracles of Jesus took place at the Pool of Bethsaida. This pool was a popular place in Jerusalem where many sick people came. An angel was there. The angel would descend upon the pool and stir up the water. The first person to be dipped into the pool would be cured of whatever afflicted him.
One crippled man laid on his mat waiting in hopes that someone would lift him into the pool. But it was so crowded, his turn never came. Jesus came up to him and asked why he lay there. The man explained his circumstances to Our Lord. Jesus said to the man, "Arise, take up thy bed, and walk." -John 5:11
The man got up and was cured.
Another well known miracle of Jesus is the healing of the centurion's servant. A Roman centurion or soldier came up to Jesus. His servant was very sick, even near death. He asked Jesus to heal his servant. Jesus told the soldier to lead Him to the sick boy. The centurion said, "Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter under my roof: but only say the word, and my servant shall be healed." -Matthew 8:8
Our Lord was very pleased with the faith and humility of this centurion and said in reply, 'Amen I say to you, I have not found so great faith in Israel...Go, and as thou hast believed, so be it done to thee.' And the servant was healed at the same hour." -Matthew 8:10,13
During Mass the faithful repeat words similar to those of the centurion after the priest holds up the Holy Eucharist and says "Behold the Lamb of God..."
Many other occasions when the miracles of Jesus cured the sick include the paralyzed man (Mark 2:1-12), the two blind men (Matthew 9:27-30) and the ten lepers (Luke 17:13-19).
Miracles of Jesus- Jesus Controlled The Elements Of Nature
The miracles of Jesus defied the priciples of nature. These miracles all pointed toward the great miracle of the Holy Eucharist. Jesus first miracle was the wedding at Cana.
Another such miracle was the large catch of fish. Jesus was preaching to the multitudes on the shore from Peter's boat while Peter was fishing. Jesus told Peter to lower his nets onto the other side of the boat. Because they had caught no fish that day, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, we have labored all the night, and have taken nothing: but at thy word I will let down the net." -Luke 5:5.
He then did as Jesus instructed. When the nets were raised, there were so many fish in them that the nets broke. Another boat came to them and helped them load all the fish onto the two boats. Both boats were so full of fish that the boats sank deep into the water. At that time, Peter fell down upon his knees and proclaimed, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord." -Luke 5:8.
Peter then knew that Jesus was God.
Jesus said to Peter in reply, 'Fear not: from henceforth thou shalt catch men.' And having brought their ships to land, leaving all things, they followed him." -Luke 10-11.
Once when Jesus was preaching, a great multitude gathered to listen to Him. So many people where there in fact that the Bible says there were 5,000 men not counting women and children. It was getting late and no one had eaten so the apostles went to Jesus and told Him to send the crowds away, so everyone could go and find themselves something to eat.
"But Jesus said to them, 'They have no need to go: give you them to eat.'
They answered him: 'We have not here, but five loaves, and two fishes.'
He said to them: 'Bring them hither to me.' -Matthew 14:16-18
Jesus told the people to sit down on the grass. He then blessed the bread and broke it and instructed the apostles to hand out the food. There was enough food to feed the entire crowd of more than five thousand people. When the left over food was gathered up, it filled twelve baskets. This miracle of Jesus is a precursor to the miracle of the Holy Eucharist.
Two other times Jesus performed miracles and by doing so demonstrated His command over nature is when He calmed the storm with His hand (Luke 8:23-24) and when He walked upon water (Matthew 14:26-31).
Miracles of Jesus- Jesus Brought The Dead Back To Life
The Raising of Lazarus is an endearing event that shows the very human nature of Our Lord. In the Biblical account, you will find the words "Jesus wept." -John 11:35
This is the shortest sentence in the entire Bible and yet it relays a profound message. So strong was Jesus' human nature that He Who was both true man and true God, wept over the death of His friend.
Lazarus was the brother of Mary and Martha. He had gotten sick and died while Jesus was away preaching. When Mary and Martha found Jesus and told Him Lazarus was dead, he had already been dead for four days. Jesus instructed Mary and Martha to take Him to the tomb where Lazarus' body was laid. On the way there, He was overcome with grief and Jesus wept.
Upon arriving at the tomb, Jesus asked that the stone be rolled away. He then said, "'Lazarus, come forth.' And presently he that had been dead came forth, bound feet and hands with winding bands; and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus said to them: 'Loose him, and let him go.'" -John 11:43-44
Two other times the miracles of Jesus brought the dead back to life are Jairus' daughter and the widows son (Luke 7:12-16).
The account of Jairus' daughter goes like this, "And all wept and mourned for her. But he said: 'Weep not; the maid is not dead, but sleepeth.' And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead. But he taking her by the hand, cried out, saying: 'Maid, arise.' And her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And he bid them give her to eat." -Luke 8:52-55
Miracles of Jesus- Jesus' Greatest Miracles
All of Jesus' miracles so far discussed and the many others contained in the Gospels point to the two most important miracles of Jesus, the institution of the Holy Eucharist and the Resurrection. Jesus demonstrated His command over the elements of nature. Note the way He changed water into wine at Cana and the time when He multiplied loaves of bread and fish. Many times, Jesus promised He would give His own flesh as food to eat. You would do well to memorize these words of Our Lord:
"Amen, amen I say unto you: He that believeth in me, hath everlasting life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the desert, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven; that if any man eat of it, he may not die.
I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever; and the bread that I will give, is my flesh, for the life of the world...Then Jesus said to them: Amen, amen I say unto you: Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, you shall not have life in you. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath everlasting life: and I will raise him up in the last day.
For my flesh is meat indeed: and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, abideth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father; so he that eateth me, the same also shall live by me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead. He that eateth this bread, shall live for ever." -John 6:47-59
Jesus performed this great miracle at the Last Supper when He changed bread and wine into His body and blood. He told the apostles to "Do this for a commemoration of me." -Luke 22:19
Jesus intended that this sacrifice be carried on until the end of time. During the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the priest through the power of Jesus turns the Sacred Host into the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, following the command Jesus gave the apostles at the Last Supper. In this way, the unbloody sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross is offered to God everyday by Catholic priests all throughout the world.
Through the institution of the Holy Eucharist, Jesus' fulfilled the promise He made before He ascended into Heaven: "Behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world."
Jesus is with us, body and soul, in our tabernacles and upon our altars hidden under the appearances of bread and wine.
So if ever the truth of the teaching on Blessed Sacrament are put into question remember all the miracles of Jesus. If He could change water into wine and multiply loaves of bread, surely He could change bread and wine into His own Body and Blood.
The Resurrection is the cornerstone of the belief in Jesus Christ. The dogma of the resurrection allows Christians to have a firm faith in all Jesus teachings because He promised He would rise on the third day. And rise He did, by His own Divine Power. This physical proof that Jesus did conquer death and rose from the dead gives you the confidence to belief in what you cannot see namely the Holy Eucharist.
"Jesus saith to him: Because thou hast seen me, Thomas, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and have believed."
-John 20:29
In this verse, Jesus is speaking about you and me. But we can believe because we have God's word for it and the miracles of Jesus to back it up.
Before you can intellectually accept and hold the teachings of Jesus and His Church, you must have faith that Jesus is as He claimed, God made man. As you can see the miracles of Jesus confirm this chief teaching of the Catholic Church.
