miracle (redirected from Miricles)

miracle, preternatural occurrence that is viewed as the expression of a divine will. Its awe and wonder lie in the fact that the cause is hidden. The idea of the miracle occurs especially with the evolution of those highly developed religions that distinguish between natural law and divine will. Many supernatural or inexplicable events have been called miracles, but in the strict religious sense a miracle refers only to the direct intervention of divine will in the affairs of men. The adherents of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam attribute miracles to the omnipotence of God, the Creator, who alone can change the natural events of the world or can delegate that power to a disciple, such as Moses, Jesus, or Muhammad. In the history of Christianity miracles have played a major role, two of the most important examples of divine intervention being the Resurrection (Mat. 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; John 20; 21) and the Virgin Birth. Miracles in Christianity are also associated with saints' bodies and relics and with shrines. Some saints had in their lifetime great repute for curing the sick by supposed miracles. The Roman Catholic Church requires rigid attestation of miracles before canonization, but does not officially require belief in other than biblical miracles.

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miracle

Extraordinary event attributed to a supernatural power. Belief in miracles exists in all cultures and nearly all religions. The Upanishads assert that the experience of religious insight and transformation is the only “miracle” worth considering, but popular Hinduism attributes miraculous powers to the ascetic yogis. Confucianism had little room for miracles. Daoism, however, mingled with Chinese folk religion to produce a rich crop of miracles. Though Buddha Gautama deprecated his own miraculous powers as devoid of spiritual significance, accounts of his miraculous birth and life were later woven into his legend and into those of later Buddhist saints. Miracles are taken for granted throughout the Hebrew scriptures and were fairly common in the Greco-Roman world. The New Testament records miracles of healing and other wonders performed by Jesus. Miracles also attest to the holiness of Christian saints. Muhammad renounced miracles as a matter of principle (the Qur'an was the great miracle), but his life was later invested with miraculous details. Muslim popular religion, particularly under the influence of Sufism, abounds in miracles and wonder-working saints.

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miracle

1. an event that is contrary to the established laws of nature and attributed to a supernatural cause

2. short for miracle play

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Miracle

Aaron’s

rod flowering rod proved him to be God’s choice. [O.T.: Numbers 17:8]

Agnes, St.

hair grew to cover nakedness. [Christian Hagiog.: Brewster, 76–77]

Anthony of Padua

St. believed to have preached effectively to school of fishes. [Christian Legend: Benét, 39]

Cana

at wedding feast, Christ turns water into wine. [N.T.: John 2:1–11]

deus ex machina

improbable agent introduced to solve a dilemma. [Western Drama: LLEI, I: 279]

Elais

produced olive oil from ground by touch. [Gk. Myth.: Kravitz, 86]

Euphemus

Argonaut; could cross water without getting wet. [Gk. Myth.: Kravitz, 95 ]

Geppetto

his wish fulfilled when marionette becomes real boy. [Children’s Lit.: Pinocchio; Am. Cinema: Pinocchio in Disney Films, 32–37]

Holy Grail

chalice enabled Sir Galahad to heal a cripple. [Br. Lit.: Le Morte d’Arthur]

Jesus Christ

as son of God, performed countless miracles. [N.T.: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John]

loaves and fishes

Jesus multiplies fare for his following. [N.T.: Matthew 14:15–21; John 6:5–14]

Lourdes

underground spring revealed to Bernadette Soubirous in visions (1858); major pilgrimage site. [Fr. Hist.: EB, VI: 352; Am. Lit.: Song of Bernadette; Am. Cinema: The Song of Bernadette in Halliwell, 670]

Marah

undrinkably bitter waters, sweetened by Moses. [O.T.: Exodus 15:23–25]

Miracle on 34th Street

Santa Claus comes to New York. [Am. Cinema: Halliwell, 493]

parting of the Pamphylean Sea

Alexander’s hosts traverse sea in Persian march. [Class. Hist.: Gaster, 238]

parting of the Red Sea

divinely aided, Moses parts the waters for an Israelite escape. [O.T.: Exodus 14:15–31]

rod of Moses

transforms into serpent, then back again. [O.T.: Exodus 4:24]

Tannhäuser

as a sign that the Pope should absolve him, the papal scepter suddenly sprouts green leaves. [Ger. Myth.: Brewer Dictionary, 932]