One of the greatest questions asked is the one that titles this narrative today, and we hear it affecting so many genres, conversations, and writings in our day-to-day living. The question asked above is sometimes used as a cliché if it is used in discussions of a cynical situation that the user attempts to respond sarcastically to a notion of something he/she finds truly impossible and/or improbably, improbable, and has no chance of happening.

The question also begs validity when it is asked as an emotionally powerful and sincere question about something happening that no one, or not many at all, ever thought could have ever happened, such as in a sporting event, or a true belief, call it faith if you will, in the power of prayer, or divine intervention.

As a Catholic growing up and having attended my first 10 years of education in a Catholic School, and no, I didn’t need to repeat grades. I attended St. James School and completed grades Kindergarten through the Ninth Grade. During that time, one of our subjects was Religion. Our textbook was the Baltimore Catechism (of which I still have mine, with its yellowed and brittle pages, but still standing with my book collection saved from those days.

In our study of our religion, the scriptures made mention of many miracles that occurred in the days that Christ walked the earth, and also throughout history reported as people having witnessed events or sightings that contradict science or possibility. You could say I was literally indoctrinated into believing in miracles. Some of these include: The Wedding Feast at Cana, Jesus Walking on Water, the Raising of Lazarus, The Healing of the Blind Man, and the Little Girl, the Expelling of Demons, the Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes, and the Resurrection of Jesus. We never witnessed any of these events, yet, and I am speaking for myself, because of our faith, we believe they happened.

Other reported miracles that have been reported are: Our Lady of Guadalupe (1531), Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal (1830), Our Lady of Lourdes (1858), Our Lady of Fatima (1917), and Our Lady of Kibeho, in Rwanda (1981-1989). These and the most recent, Our Lady of the Mystical Rose in Montichiari, Italy (between 1947 and 1966). All these events centered around the sighting of the Virgin Mary, and have been recorded as Vatican approved apparitions.

But what’s the definition of the word miracle? I mean, how do we know if we believe in miracles if we don’t know what they are? According to the Merriam – Webster Dictionary, a miracle is an extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention in human affairs. It is also defined as an extremely outstanding or unusual event, thing, or accomplishment.

In my interest of sports, I’ve seen, and heard, many references of religion in play-by-play coverage of games, which coincidentally, I heard many times in Religion Class at St. James School and Church. (Funny how many who don’t want the celebration of some holidays, or prayer in school (even just a moment of silence where those who would like to say a silent prayer can do so), yet many of these people have no problem, cheering what was called a “Hail Mary” touchdown pass, and many from the city of Pittsburgh, and the football world, still talk about Franco Harris’s miraculous “Immaculate Reception” (which has a lingual connection with the Immaculate Conception of Mary in religious teachings. How about many people wanting the stoppage of religious references who celebrated the 1969 “Miracle Mets?” What about the Cleveland Cavaliers 1975-76 playoff defeat of the Washington Bullets dubbed the Miracle at Richfield? How about those who celebrated the NFL’s 2015 “Miracle in Motown,” (also called the “Motor City Miracle), and the NFL’s 2000 game monikered the “Music City Miracle?”

Also, what about those athletes, during interviews, thanking God/Jesus, or making the Sign of the Cross before an at-bat, or kneeling in the endzone or pointing to the heavens at home plate when they score appearing to be giving thanks to a higher power? Are the fans upset with those gestures too? (I know we don’t really know if they’re praying in those moments, but we don’t really know they aren’t either.)

About a month ago, the networks began airing a television ad campaign promoting the then, upcoming World Cup Soccer Tournament and the first game between Paraguay and the United States, (which was played June 12th.) One commercial in the ad campaign instantly became my favorite ad at that time, just because it was simple, short, and to the point. (If Interested, YouTube the full 1:52 min commercial.) It showed numerous clips of soccer games and highlights featuring players in the American colors set to the background music of an Elvis-like voice singing lyrics from the song, The Impossible Dream. Abruptly, the ad cuts to two guys having a beer at a tavern, with one of them saying, “What, you think the U.S. is going to win the World Cup?” His buddy then responds with, “It could Happen!” His friend then hits back with, “It’ll never happen.” Then, suddenly, the camera cuts to the Captain of the 1980 USA “Miracle on Ice” hockey team, Mike Eruzione sitting at the bar facing the two of them and he says “What, you don’t believe in miracles?” He then pops a peanut in his mouth, stands, and walks out of the tavern. How many of us believed what happened at Lake Placid was miraculous in our reaction of pride and emotions, and answered the question that made Al Michaels a household name when he jubilantly shouted, “Do you believe in miracles?” in his microphone as chants of “USA, USA” repeatedly sang out, and we watched, and felt, what that ‘miracle” did for this country? (Fittingly, the World Cup commercial was/is titled, “Miracle.”)

Which brings us to tomorrow, the Fourth of July, as we’ll be celebrating the 250th Birthday of our United States of America. I’m sure many, 250 years ago, thought it would take a miracle for those in Philadelphia who met, discussed, and argued the idea of starting their own country, and how they may have really been asking themselves, “Why are we doing this? Do we really believe we can pull this off? It will take a miracle to make this happen, and do we really believe in miracles?” It turns out that they must have believed in miracles, as they did make it happen. The United Stated of America was born, and through the years we became a country free from the King’s rule, a country that then saw many from other countries slowly want to be a part of this nation, where, eventually, the USA became a country people here took great pride in, and pledged their allegiance to, for the better part of two hundred plus years (minus maybe 1861-1865 until things came back together, and also what has become a divided country in these times.)

Our country was able to come together and rebuild after the civil war, and in these now strained times we need to come together again, to make the United States of America the country it was and can be again. Will it take a miracle? Maybe. Do you believe in miracles? I can only speak for myself when I say I do, by my faith and hope (and the miracle I experience daily, named Sally), and as the friend in the bar of the described World Cup commercial spoke in response to his friend’s doubt of winning the cup said, “It could happen,” I’d like to think our country coming back together, can happen too.

Happy 250th Birthday tomorrow, America, and God Bless the USA!