November Allocutio 2025
Miracles of Grace needed
Fr. Paul Churchill, Concilium Spiritual Director
The recent Doctrinal Note (just 20 pages!) of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, which expresses concern about the invocation to Mary as Mediatrix of all graces, must give rise to thought and reflection in the Legion of Mary. This document says much that is positive about Our Lady’s cooperation with God and her intercession for us as our heavenly Mother. But it questions that particular expression Mediatrix of all graces which it says is open to misinterpretation. Interestingly, St Louis Marie de Montford never used that expression. And if we have to replace it then by what? Do we go with de Montford, “Mediatrix with Christ” or with a term like “Mother of Divine Grace”? This needs more study, prayer and reflection. Let us ask Our Lady to give us the help of the Holy Spirit to make the right decision.
The question of grace is very important. Grace is what harmonises our souls with God. If there are any miracles we need we need above all miracles of grace. We need the grace of true faith, true hope and true charity which helpus to relate to God. We also need the graces of true conversion, sorrow for our sins and firm commitment to God and his ways. We need the grace of understanding rightly the faith, of seeing how best to share it, of being able to touch souls.
Miracles of grace do happen. I cannot but notice that our history has many such stories. Augustine’s turning to the true faith from paganism, Patrick’s return to a deep relationship with God while in captivity, a similar event in the life of Vincent de Paul, John of God’s conversion from neurotic preoccupations to reaching out instead to others, Charles de Foucauld’s conversion from a selfish life-style to a christian witness among Sahara tribes, Matt Talbot’s turning from alcohol addiction to living a most holy life. There are many other such cases.
These kinds of miracles of grace have a long-term benefit that can last for centuries to the good of so many souls. But I want to point out something behind them all. They were due to prayer. Monica kept praying for her son and never gave up. I wonder who was praying for Patrick back home when he in turn began to pray in his captivity and came to know the true God. Charles de Foucauld always acknowledged his cousin’s prayers for him and maybe too his grand-father’s. Matt Talbot’s mother prayed for his conversion. Let us trust that our prayers are heard and let us never give up on incessant prayer.
Our Lord, time and time again, asked us to pray and never give up. The parable of the unjust judge, who gave in to the widow’s pleas, ended with these words, “Will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who call out to him day and night?” Or how about these words, “If you then who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, will not your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?” And since the main desire of God is for our souls’ victory, let us not doubt that when we pray for souls, for our own conversion and that of others, we know God is listening and on our side. God will answer at the time and in the manner He knows best. The more we pray the better the fruits.
I speak of miracles of grace. There can be other miracles too, those of healing and the like. I know of some that defy any natural explanation. However I repeat words of one of the greatest mystics, St. John of the Cross. He cautions about supernatural events that come through our senses. There are many people who are preoccupied with such. As he says, “they are wont to have visions of images and persons from the other life … and of unusual lights and splendors”. He even goes so far as to say that even if some of these are authentically from God “one must never rely on them or accept then … he who esteems these apprehensions is in serious error and extreme danger of being deceived” (Ascent of Mount Carmel, Book II, Ch11.)
What this saint wanted to emphasise above all was the spiritual, the journey of faith, not what mesmerizes our senses. He even said the preoccupation with miraculous events can weaken faith. And did not Our Risen Lord say, “Blessed rather are those who have not seen and yet believe!” When the Pharisees taunted Jesus about doing miracles he refused. He wanted them to have a change of soul. Miracles of this world do not prevent death. They might put it off for some time. But what matters for eternity are the miracles of grace that make a soul a child of Heaven. If God allows some miracle or supernatural event his main objective is to help the journey of faith, to give light to our souls. It always has the objective of producing and encouraging faith and grace.
The great value of incessant prayer is that it expresses faith and faith grows by means of it. With God always listening and loving us, let us keep praying and opening our souls to the work of his grace.
And we add to them by requesting Our Lady to act before her Son as she did in Cana and to intercede for us, especially in relation to our journey to heaven where she already dwells body and soul and to which, please God, we are all destined. With the help of her prayers may we have the grace of a happy death and eternity among the saints. Mother of Divine Grace, pray for us.
