[Biblemat] A: On the Road to Sainthood

[westside]

Pope John Paul II On the Road to Sainthood

I was reading an article where a nun claims she was miraculously cured of Parkinson's Disease when praying to Pope John Paul II. 

At the time of his death, there was talk of Pope John Paul becoming a "Saint." For a person to be a "Saint" in the Catholic Church they must be dead and have performed two miracles. In the days following his death, a number of miracles were supposedly linked to the deceased Pope. One was of a man with a brain tumor being healed while taking the Lord's Supper. This process of becoming a saint is called "Beatification" and takes at least five years after a person's death. However, Pope John Paul II set aside the rules for Sister Teresa in her becoming a "Saint."  There is so much going on in the name of God that contradicts the Bible that it is hard to mention everything. 

In the Bible the term saint is used to describe those who have been sanctified by the blood of Christ. Paul in writing to the brethren at Rome said, "To all who in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints" (chapter 1 verse 7). All Christians are saints in that they have been sanctified by the blood of Christ. 

"But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God." (1 Cor 6:11)

It is a total misuse of the word to make it refer to a special class or group of Christians. If a person is not a saint,  he is not a Christian, and vice versa. If one is not a "saint" before they die, they will not be one afterward.

At the time of his death, I felt somewhere, some time, somebody would claim to have seen or been a beneficiary of a miracle performed Pope John Paul II. I did not think it would have occurred after his death. 

In the Bible, miracles were performed in such a way that all knew it was a miracle. The critics of Jesus could not deny His miracles, they could only accuse Him of sinning while performing the miracles or impugn His power as that from Beelzebub, Matthew 12.24. I do not know how this nun could prove that a miracle had occurred or even it was due to the now deceased Pope. Even more importantly the Bible teaches that the time of miracles have ended. "Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away" (1 Corinthians 13.8-10). In chapter 12 Paul mentions different spiritual gifts given by the Holy Spirit. Speaking in tongues, prophesying, and healing people were miraculous gifts. There would come a time when they would cease. That would be when "that which is perfect has come." I know many claim this refers to the second coming of Christ. However, Jesus is not a "that" but a person. That which is perfect refers to the completion of the Law of Christ. James says it is the perfect law of liberty, James 1.25. 

Miracles were not performed to make one a saint, but to confirm the word of God, Hebrews 2.2-3. One of the proofs of Jesus being the Son of God was the miracles He performed. "But I have a greater witness than John's; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish - the very works that I do - bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me" (John 5.36).  Mark's recording of the Great Commission points out the link between the message being preached and the miracles to confirm that the message came from God. "And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover" (Mark 16.17-18). Various miracles were performed in Acts; healing of the lame man (chapter 3), the death of Ananias and Sapphira (chapter 5), the shadow of Peter healing the sick and those tormented by unclean spirits (chapter 5), bringing Dorcas back to life (chapter 9), and the list goes on. The purpose of those miracles was to prove the Apostles were from God and the message they were preaching was from God. The miracles were not intended to either prove the sainthood of the Apostles or to glorify them. At Icomium, Paul and Barnabas, performed "signs and wonders" (Acts 14.3b) and the people wanted to worship them. Barnabas and Paul stopped them for they were merely men and not gods, Acts 14.15. The Catholic Church, by wanting to make Pope John Paul II a saint is wanting to worship a man, which is wrong.  We are to worship God and no one else. 

Finally, I thought the Pope on earth is the "Vicar of Christ." If such is the case, then how could he not perform a miracle? Jesus, being the Son of God, could perform miracles due to His nature. I just wonder why the representative of Christ on earth could not do the same. 

It just goes to show how convoluted things can get in religion. Dennis Tucker 



"If you make a mistake, learn from it. If you do something brilliant, get over it." D.T. 
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