Choose a topic from Part 3a:
1. It was fitting that our Lord should cast out demons or devilsby a miracle. Miracles are arguments for the faith which Christbrought to men; He rightly released, by the miracle of expellingevil spirits,persons whose thralldom to demons prevented themfrom accepting the faith.
2. Our Lord wrought miracles in the heavenly bodies, as inthe darkening of the sun at the hour of crucifixion (Luke 23:44,45). This was a striking proof of his Godhead, the central truth ofthe faith which his miracles make manifest.
3. Our Lord showed his divine power and his saving missionto men by his miracles wrought on human beings. Scripture tells(Mark 7:37) how the people welcomed these miracles, and cried outin praise of them: "He hath done all things well; he hath madeboth the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak."
4. Our Lord worked miracles on irrational earthlycreatures, as when he caused the fig tree to wither away, changedwater into wine, made the earth tremble and quake as he died on thecross. All these things were done for man's benefit. It wasright that man should be made aware of our Lord's divinity bymeans of miraculous signs of his absolute control over every kindof creature: spirits, heavenly bodies, men, irrational earthlybeings.
"Let no one wear a mask, otherwise he will do ill; and if he has one, let him burn it."
St Philip Neri
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"The Lord has always revealed to mortals the treasures of his wisdom and his spirit, but now that the face of evil bares itself more and more, so does the Lord bare his treasures more."
St John of the Cross, OCD - Doctor of the Church
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"The name of Jesus, pronounced with reverence and affection, has a kind of power to soften the heart. "
St Philip Neri
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