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“Unless I see the nail marks in His hands… I will not believe.” (John 20:25). The words of St. Thomas echo with unsettling relevance today. In a world obsessed with the tangible, the scientific, and the immediate, many Catholics ask: Is denying miracles a lack of faith? Could it even be a sin? The answer is not simple, but Tradition, Scripture, and the Magisterium shed light on this crucial question.
I. Miracles: Divine Whims or Signs from Heaven?
Miracles are not celestial tricks to impress skeptics. They are signs of God’s love and mercy, breaking natural laws to remind us of an eternal truth: He is here. From the Old Testament (manna in the desert, the fire of Carmel) to Jesus’ miracles (the multiplication of loaves, the raising of Lazarus), the Bible is filled with supernatural interventions.
But there’s more: miracles did not end with the Apostles. The Church has documented thousands of approved cases—from Lourdes to the stigmata of St. Pio, from inexplicable healings to Marian apparitions. God still speaks, but many have stopped listening.
II. Modern Unbelief: Skepticism or Pride?
We live in the age of “the dictatorship of rationalism,” where anything unmeasurable in a lab is dismissed as fantasy. This mindset has even infected some Catholics, who reduce miracles to “metaphors” or “pious legends.”
Yet the Catechism is clear:
- “The miracle is a sign that manifests God’s omnipotence.” (CCC 548)
- “Faith is not opposed to reason,” but transcends it. (CCC 159)
Rejecting miracles a priori may signal a hardened heart, like Pharaoh who witnessed the plagues yet refused to believe (Exodus 8:15). Doubt is not sinful (God understands our frailty), but stubbornly closing oneself to divine action is dangerous.
III. Why Don’t Some People Believe? Three Dangerous Reasons
- Scientistic Prejudice: “If science can’t explain it, it doesn’t exist.” Error: science studies nature; miracles are supernatural.
- Fear of Fanaticism: Caution against childish credulity is valid, but the Church rigorously investigates miracles before approval.
- Lack of Conversion: Those distant from God struggle to recognize His hand. As Jesus said: “You do not believe because you are not among My sheep.” (John 10:26)
IV. How to Cultivate a Faith That Embraces the Supernatural
- Study approved miracles (Fátima, Guadalupe, Eucharistic miracles).
- Ask God for eyes to see, like the man born blind (John 9).
- Don’t confuse faith with naivety: The Church, as mother and teacher, guides our discernment.
V. Conclusion: Belief Is Not a Leap into Irrationality, but into Eternity
God does not force belief, but He invites us to trust. As St. Augustine said: “Believe to understand, understand to believe.” In a world that idolizes doubt, Catholics are called to witness that Heaven still breaks through.
“Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.” (John 20:29). Are you willing to be one of them?
What about you? Have you experienced or witnessed a miracle? Share in the comments how God has worked in your life. Faith grows through testimony!
[→ Want to go deeper? We recommend “The Miracles” by Fr. José Antonio Sayés and EWTN’s documentary “Signs from God.”]Did you enjoy this article? Share it and help others discover the beauty of supernatural faith. God bless you!
