Think about the unexplainable

Editor’s note: Another Viewpoint is a column The News-Herald makes available so all sides of an issue may be aired. Tom Wetzel lives in Willoughby.

An anniversary of an amazing date was recently celebrated on May 13 of this year. Although religious in nature, the event still received some secular coverage from many major media outlets.

The history that was acknowledge was that 100 years ago to that date in Fatima, Portugal, three peasant children, Lucia Santos, and Jacinta and Francisco Marto, had reported a supernatural experience with a heavenly figure recognized as Mary, the mother of Jesus. The children would have further short contacts with Mary and receive simple messages involving conversion and penance. These messages concluded with a remarkable phenomenon involving the sun that was witnessed by thousands on Oct. 17, 1917, and reported in the O’ Seculo newspaper at the time.

Pope Francis took the opportunity on this anniversary to canonize two of the children who can now be called Saint Jacinta and Saint Francisco. But to the casual observer or those unfamiliar with these historical events, there may be lots of reactions to a modern-day newspaper or web article about these past experiences. They may range from incredulity, curiosity, disdain, or just a simple scratching of the head. But these feelings may all lead to one question. What does this mean if it is true?

Throughout history, there have been many supernatural phenomena that are difficult to come to terms with. Many may be explainable, but there are some persistent ones that should cause us to pause and wonder. What if the Red Sea actually did part thousands of years ago, allowing the Israelites to cross while being pursued by an Egyptian army? There is certainly no rational or scientific explanation for such an occurrence to happen at the precise moment Moses raised his staff, but cross they did, and today their ancestors still celebrate that liberation.

Since 1858, when a teenage visionary encountered a heavenly figure again believed to be Mary at a spot in Lourdes, France, numerous healings have been reported there. Intensive effort is given to exhaust all possible explanations for these reports and there is even an actual Lourdes Medical Bureau that is under medical supervision and not ecclesiastical rule. A determination has been made to this point that there are 69 scientifically inexplicable miracles that have a connection to that shrine.

Throughout much of the 20th century, there lived a pious priest named Padre Pio who was found to have the crucifixion wounds of Jesus on his hands and feet. Some dismissed these wounds as self-inflicted, but this Italian cleric who seemed to read minds allowed his wounds to be examined by doctors. He recognized the suffering they caused as a gift from God.

Regardless of our views on these events, we can be nearly certain that we will learn of more situations in the future that clearly appear to be a transcendent effort at reaching mankind with an idea, warning or message of hope. They could very easily happen here in the United States or even Northeast Ohio for that matter, an area rich in Judeo-Christian spirituality.

When we hear of these reports on our smartphones or laptops, we will be evaluating them from a seat of modernity mixed with our own worldview, which could range from skeptical to taking the information at face value. We can be confident that those making the claims will be scrutinized like no other, and motives may be attached to them that appear consistent with the preconceptions of the critics themselves.

Viewing these matters with a cautious eye is certainly prudent as the Catholic Church recognizes, but we will do ourselves a disservice if we dismiss them too quickly. Often the explanations trying to explain them away seem too convenient and only beg further questions.

Can a coincidence that seems a billion to one really put a matter to rest?

How we treat these matters, though, may actually be a window into ourselves and what these occurrences or messages say can present us with an opportunity to find deeper purpose within our own lives. As a result, we may find that the question of, “What does this mean if it is true?” will morph into, “What does this mean for me?”

Tom Wetzel