Experiencing, living and sharing the miracle of Christ

(An excerpt of the homily of the Most Rev. Romulo G. Valles, D.D., during the 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time/Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary at San Pedro Cathedral Parish, September 8, 2024)

If we go to the 1st reading today from the Prophet Isaiah: “Thus says the Lord, say to those who are frightened, be strong, fear not.” Say to those who are disabled, small, discouraged, frightened, hopeless; say to those who are frightened be strong, fear not. Here is your God, He comes with vindication, with divine recompense, He comes to save you. Then will the eyes of the blind open, the ears of the deaf be clear, then the lame leap like stag, then the tongue of the mute will sing. Streams will burst forth in the desert.” Dry hot sands, springs, mga tubod. “And rivers in the steep, the burning sands will become pools and the thirsty ground will be springs of water.”

First paragraph theories, God will come and save you and then Isaiah says proof: the blind will see, the mute will speak, the deaf will hear, the lame will jump of joy, deserts, green, waters. So my dear friends I ask you, what did the people see when Jesus cured one person deaf and mute it was certainly not only simple cured siya sa iyang pagkamute ug pagkadeaf. Certainly they saw in Jesus, the reign of God coming. Dili lang medical, physical cure but the reign of God in Jesus, nakadungog sila sa gisulti ni Isaiah. By the way Isaiah was a famous prophet, he taught hundreds of years before Christ, the teachings of Isaiah to the people in their minds and hearts,they knew that when they saw He cured the mute, He cured the deaf, He cured the blind, He let the lame stand, they saw Jesus as the beginning of the reign of God. Not only that, they saw Jesus as God Himself.

If we carry Jesus in ourselves, number one no doubt miracles can happen. But when we go to a disabled person may they be mentally distressed, a person who is lame and let them see more than suffering. When a person is hopeless, may you bring hope and care. People even if they are still disabled would see a whole new world for them. The love, mercy and compassion can really overcome misery and sadness. I and you have heard many testimonies, many people are cured and some are not, maybe some of them left the Lord cured not physically but totally so strong in their hearts and soul. The world became brighter. So do we expect only physical healing? People to see, people to hear, people to speak, milagro na.