Gift of Miracles

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The gift ofmiracles is one of those mentioned bySt. Paul in hisFirst Epistle to the Corinthians (12:9-10), among the extraordinarygraces of the Holy Ghost. These have to be distinguished from the seven gifts of the Holy Ghost enumerated by the Prophet Isaias (11:2 sq.) and from the fruits of the Spirit given by St. Paul in hisEpistle to the Galatians (5:22). The seven gifts and the twelve fruits of the Holy Ghost are always infused withsanctifying grace into thesouls of the just. They belong to ordinarysanctity and are within the reach of everyChristian. The gifts mentioned in the Epistle to the Corinthians are not necessarily connected withsanctity of life. They are special and extraordinary powers vouchsafed byGod only to a few, and primarily for the spiritual good of others rather than of the recipient. In Greek they are calledcharismata, which name has been adopted by Latin authors- they are also designated intheological technical language asgratiae gratis datae (graces gratuitously given) to distinguish them fromgratiae gratum facientes, which meanssanctifying grace or anyactual grace granted for thesalvation of the recipient.

The gift ofmiracles, as one of thesecharismata, was expressly promised byChrist to His disciples (John 14:12;Mark 16:17-18), and St. Paul mentions it as abiding in theChurch. "To another [is given] the grace of healing . . . To another, the working ofmiracles "- (1 Corinthians 12:9-10). Christ imparts this gift to chosen servants as He did to the Apostles and disciples, that Hisdoctrine may become credible and thatChristians may be confirmed in theirfaith, and this theVatican Council has declared in chapter iii "De Fide". This gift is not given to any created being as a permanent habit or quality of thesoul. The power of effectingsupernatural works such asmiracles is theDivine Omnipotence, which cannot be communicated to either men orangels. The greatest thaumaturgus that ever appeared in this world could not workmiracles at will, neither had he any permanent gift of the kind abiding in hissoul. The Apostles once asked concerning a cure ofdemoniacal possession: "Why could we not cast him out?"Christ replied, "This kind is not cast out but byprayer andfasting" (Matthew 17:18 sqq.). Eliseus could not raise to life the son of the Sunamitess with his staff.

The grace ofmiracles is therefore only a transient gift by whichGod moves aperson to do something which issues in a wonderful work. SometimesGod makes use instrumentally of contact with therelics of thesaints, or visits to sacred shrines for this purpose. Themiraculous work is always the effect ofOmnipotence, nevertheless, men andangels may be said to workmiracles in a threefold way

To Christ even as man, or to His humanity, was granted a perpetual and constant power ofmiracles. He was able of Hisfree will to work them as often as He judged it expedient. For this He had the ever-ready concurrence of His Divinity, although there was in His Humanity no permanent quality which could be the physical cause ofmiracles.

Benedict XIV tells us sufficient with regard tomiracles in their relation tosanctity of life when explaining their estimate in the cause of thebeatification and canonization of thesaints. He says: It is the common opinion oftheologians that the grace ofmiracles is a gracegratis data, and therefore that it is given, not only to the just but also to sinners (though only rarely). Christ says that He knows not those who have doneevil, though they may have prophesied in His name,cast out devils in His name, and done many wonderful works. And the Apostle said that without charity he was nothing, though he might havefaith to remove mountains. On this passage of the Apostle,Estius remarks:

For as it offers no contradiction to the Apostle that a man should have the gift of tongues or prophecy, orknowledge of mysteries, and excel inknowledge, which are first spoken of; or be liberal to thepoor, or give his body to be burned for the name ofChrist, which are afterwards spoken of and yet not have charity, so also there is no contradiction in a man havingfaith to remove mountains, and being without charity (Treatise on Heroic Virtue, III, 130).

Thesegraces manifest themselves in two ways. One way as dwelling in theChurch, teaching and sanctifying her, as, for example, when even a sinner in whom the Holy Ghost does not abide worksmiracles to show that thefaith of theChurch which he preaches istrue. Hence the Apostle writes:God also bearing them witness by signs, and wonders, and diversmiracles, and distributions of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will (Hebrews 2:4). In another way, the manifestation is made by thegraces of the Holy Ghost as belonging to him who performs the works. Hence in Acts it is said that St. Stephen, full of grace andfortitude, did great wonders and signs among the people (Acts 6:8). Here we have a distinction clearly drawn out as to the manner in whichgratiae gratis datae may be to the advantage of theperson receiving them as well as to the utility of others, and how it is that by thesegracespersons withoutsanctifying grace may perform signs and wonders for the good of others. But these are rare and exceptional cases and realmiracles can never be performed by a sinner inproof of his own personalsanctity or inproof oferror, because that would be a deception and derogatory to thesanctity ofGod Who alone can performmiracles.

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