As the world falls apart, should I really ask for a miracle?

The reader who suggested asking a saint or saint-to-be for a miracle for the healing of my troublesome left leg, which insists on somehow continuing to follow me around… considering that she herself suffers so very much, well, I must say that this suggestion was especially kind of her. I don’t go through a smidgeon of what she goes through. But she brought it up and, considering that, I am obliged to ponder… a miracle… for myself… I being so unworthy… and there are so many who are so much worse off than myself… and besides that, the world is falling apart, people blown up, burned up, shot, raped, taken hostage…

In the midst of the chaos, almost surreally, I am reminded of a lady all strapped into her rolling, pilgrim hospital bed, who never asked for but received a miracle (declared by the bishop of Tarbes-Lourdes at the time) during the Consecrations at Holy Mass in the Grotto of Lourdes. She had always and only prayed for those worse off than her. She had been helping the sick and suffering in Lourdes for a lifetime, and then her health disintegrated. Jesus simply commanded her from the Sacred Host and Chalice at their elevations during the Consecrations: “Alzati!” “Get up, you!” She told me this herself on the hospital train from Italy to Lourdes. She was returning to continue helping push wheelchairs and beds as she had done her whole life until she found herself being pushed, no longer with tendons her legs, no longer with optic nerves. Because of the miracle, with that situation not changing, she could walk and see. Miraculous. As I had said, I would feel guilty to ask for a miracle for myself when there are so many others a zillion times more worthy and a zillion times more ailing.

Or how about Blessed Miguel Pro, a priest who was brought back to health while at the Grotto in Lourdes, so that immediately afterward, getting permission to go to Mexico, he could witness to the Lord by laying down his very life soon after his arrival?

Despite running away (figuratively) from the suggestion of a miracle for the leg, I’ll admit that I immediately did think of the already popularly canonized Saint Roch. Wikipedia has it that this young itinerant mendicant Franciscan guy, wrongly imprisoned at 23 years old and dying in prison just five years later at 28 years of age, back in the 14th century, is invoked against the plague because of the bubonic wound perpetually on his left leg, that was medically assisted by his dog, who also fed him. “He is a patron saint of dogs, invalids, falsely accused people,” etc. Saint Roch is a most awesome victim-soul.

You have to know that when you invoke the saints it is likely that they are going to assist you in both humility and trust regarding the cross you carry, not removing the cross, but helping you to carry it better, you know, like they did. Their concern is that we get to heaven and they will do whatever it takes to get us to heaven. That’s always going to involve the cross. There are some people who know how to suffer in silence (like Saint Roch), and then there are those who complain all the time (and that would be me). And, no, Saint Jerome is not the patron saint of complainers, though he should be.

Despite my river of avoidance verbiage, I was reprimanded for not asking for a miracle by someone adept at cutting to the chase. So I thought it best to ponder a bit. Spiritual miracles are, of course, a priority. And I have in the past asked for a spiritual miracle, and received it forthwith. I asked my guardian angel for help in making a lifelong examination of conscience, and immediately… analogous to multiple lightning strikes… he informed me of the content of my next Sacramental Confession. Thanks, Guardian Angel! But a miracle for physical health? All of hell has broken out in the world and the Church. I dunno…

• If I were to ask for a miracle regarding health, would I ask about the leg, or would I ask about something else? My commentary about the leg had an ulterior motive of disability rights, also for priests. But is there something more pressing than that for me personally?
• Settling that question, which saint would it be who comes to mind straightaway as an obvious intercessor before the throne of God for that ailment?

I’m a complainer, so I have a long list of ailments. There’s my insanely high blood pressure. I’m not a drinker, not a smoker, I’ve not gotten Covid “vaccines” or “boosters.” The blood pressure is deadly urgent, but, all in all, I could lose a few pounds and, in my case, that really helps, so, I think that one is on me. And if I lost a few pounds, that would also help the leg, really a lot. So, I think that one is on me as well. But there is something else that doesn’t so much depend on me, and it is deadly serious. I’ll pray about it.

I also think of all those who with such generosity have offered themselves as victim souls. Lemme tell you, I’m so very far away from doing that, unworthy that I am. If you want surreal, it would be that… yet… if our Lord wants me to live so as to grow up and so as to help others to be with Jesus…