Incremental miracles

The greatest miracle of them all, of course, was the Resurrection.

But on the day He resurrected, He was mistaken for a gardener. I take this to be a sign of what His post-resurrection regime would be like: occasionally there might be a phenomenal miracle.

But most of the miracles in this little while will not be plainly noticeable.

A gardener deals with incremental miracles, not miracles of the phenomenal kind.

Take my experiences in the Day Room.

Miracles in the garden of the Day Room are not easily noticeable. If only by casual inspection on any given day, you'd think the place is overgrown with weeds. Just weeds. But:

Last month I met John* during chapel service; he had just come to the Mission. His business was gone; his family had left; his shoulders were slumped. His eyes were teary. Yesterday he found me after dinner; he had been promoted to the kitchen. He told me he was once paid to hurt people (you don't want to know). Now he wants to help. "I'd like to get to the point where I can counsel others."

Last week Garret* owed hundreds in back taxes. Yesterday he told me he saw a tax counselor. She worked through his numbers, and helped him even get some money back. Now he could proceed with his schooling. She was impressed with his sincerity, so she only charged him a nominal fee. He wants to spend what's left of his life serving God.

These are incremental miracles.

They attest to the presence of a Gardener.

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John 20.15 "Woman," he said, "why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?" Thinking he was the gardener, she said, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him."

John 16.16 "In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me."

* Not their actual names