Christmas is a season for miracles. It is a time for remembering stables and starlight, the quiet “yes” of our Blessed Mother, and the night the greatest miracle of all, God’s son and the savior of the world, came into our midst.

In his time, Jesus Christ performed many miracles. After his ascension into heaven, his apostles and their successors continued His important work, bringing about many miracles of their own.

Today, however, the word “miracle” is used very loosely. Modern society uses it to describe everything from a supernatural healing to the outcome of an athletic event. As a publication of the Diocese of Lansing, however, FAITH Magazine adheres to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which defines a miracle as a “sign or wonder such as a healing, or control of nature, which can only be attributed to divine power.”

Over the centuries, the Catholic Church has recognized more than 1,200 miracles using a highly rigorous process. That process was tightened even further in 2016, when Pope Francis initiated new reforms to add both transparency and precision.

In this issue, you will read stories about healing. Some of them are quite dramatic, and it would be tempting for us to call them miracles. Certainly, those who received these gifts of healing think of them as such. However, none of these experiences has been tested by the Church and so they are not yet miracles in the fullest sense of the word.

So why share these stories at all? Why not wait?

The simple answer is this: FAITH Magazine is a publication that seeks to inspire its readers with stories of the ways in which God touches the lives of those around them. In these pages, heart speaks unto heart in ways that bless our entire community.

The stories of healing you’ll find in these pages didn’t happen a thousand years ago, in locations that are an ocean away. They happened right here, in our own diocese, during the past 12–18 months. My hope is that, when you read these accounts, you will know more deeply the gifts God has in store for his people, and be enriched in your faith this Advent and Christmas season.

Merry Christmas, and God bless.

Stephanie Van Koevering

Editor of FAITH Magazine