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Because it is often observed that Eucharistic miracles took place whenever belief in the Sacrament was at its lowest. They are connected to stories like, when a parish priest in Spain started to doubt the Real Presence - and so the wine in the Chalice became actual blood. Or in more recent days when a host was dropped onto the floor - and when they tried to reverently dispose of it by dissolving it in water it the water turned again into blood. Or once when thieves stole a ciborium, and hid it in the streets: but when it started to snow it did not cover the ciborium, the hosts remained intact, and further miracles started to take place as people were healed in the presence of these miraculous hosts.
Reading through the stories of these miracles it seems to me that Our Lord treats us with the same mercy today as he treated the Ruler at Capharnaum back then. If it takes a miracle to get us to see Christ for who he really is, then that is what He is willing to give.
Christ in today’s parable is re-visiting Cana, where he turned water into wine as his first miracle: one that, by the way, also has strong Eucharistic undertones. In that miracle we see an image of not just the Mass but also its effects on us: how it turns the weak and bland into something full of life and character. It is a mystery of the resurrection, as water that can spoil is turned into wine that, after being “entombed” in a barrel, becomes a drink does not. And yet, all guests tasted of the wine, but only the Disciples came to believe in Christ. So Christ tries again, and re-visits Cana, adding miracle to miracle. Like, when His words about the Eucharist are not enough for us - this is my body, this is my blood - he comes again to underline its truth through additional miracles.
In the ruler we see someone with such imperfect faith. He has *some* faith, believing that Christ can do *something* - otherwise he would not have approached Him. Te ruler believes that Jesus can come and heal the child *before* he would die. But to him, death is final. He does not yet know Christ as the one who has power over death. He sees a miracle-man, but not the Son of God. He wants him physically present, like some lucky charm; but he does not know Christ as someone who is fully human and fully divine and thus inhabiting but not constrained by time and space.
And yet, we see in Christ’s response, as we see in the testimony of the Eucharistic miracles, that instead of turning away from imperfect faith, the Lord chooses to come close and perfect it. Even if it takes miracle after miracle, he wants us to know Him for who He is.
And in our imperfection, our souls, like the ruler, eternally cry out: *“Domine, descende!”* Lord, come down! This has been the cry of humanity since the beginning of time. In each of us there is a yearning for the perfection of God, especially when we come face to face with our own imperfections. This cry was met in the coming of Christ, through the miracle of the Incarnation. And it is also met today, *today,* in the Eucharist, and in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit into our hearts through grace. God descends to us, and perfects our imperfect faith, when we give Him space in our lives, when we call upon Him, and when we start to rely on Him. Even if we at first have the “wrong” idea.
Often when people first start to seek God, some give up out of fear that they might get it wrong. Or other times there is the fear that is somewhat drilled into us by society that God is ultimately so far beyond our reach that even if does He exist, we would not be able to know Him. Many are discouraged by this. Others might discover that their faith is *imperfect*, especially when they start to compare themselves to others who they think have it all together (spoiler: they don’t), and thus might feel discouraged. But there is not need to feel discouraged by any of these.
In His mercy God perfects our faith when it is lacking. That is the testimony of the countless Eucharistic miracles that are documented on these pages; and that is the testimony of Christ’s treatment of this ruler. Our cries for Him to come to us are never unmet, never unheard, whether it comes from faith that is perfect or imperfect.