St. Thomas Aquinas describes miracles as "those things … which are done by divine agency beyond the order commonly observed in nature" (Summa Contra Gentiles III). The miracles we think of are usually the most dramatic, those beyond the ordinary: the raising of Lazarus, or changing water into wine at Cana. Such miracles arouse shock, astonishment, even fear because they are completely out of the realm of human experience.

We live in a time that feels pretty much devoid of miracles. The price of food and fuel has risen so drastically that agencies providing food to the poor are struggling. Politicians, pundits and everyone else debate and argue over what constitutes torture and how to manage immigration. Gang violence destroys lives every day. Many people are worried about their future employment, earning power and ability to raise their children. All of these cause anxiety.

Another definition of miracle --- from the Latin root of the word, miraculum --- is "something wonderful." If we take Aquinas' definition that includes the hand of God and the meaning of the root word, it seems we may find more miracles in our lives than we realize. To do this means looking at daily life through a lens of wonder rather than of routine, drudgery or fear. It means looking for God, and the things that God brings to our lives in places we had not formerly looked for God. It is admittedly a much simpler, but still valid, understanding of miracle.

Recently, I visited Immaculate Conception School in the Pico-Union District of Los Angeles. The school is an oasis in the poorest area of the city. It is a clean, well-organized and happy place.

The children I met were polite and smiling. The principal of the school for the past 21 years, Mary Ann Murphy, sees her students, their families, the teachers and the school as miracles in each other's lives and she offered concrete examples. Parents with limited formal education are proud to talk about how their child is teaching them. Families with very limited resources assist each other with money, gifts and household items when things go wrong. A mom and dad sleep on the floor so their daughters can have the bed and be well-rested and successful in school.

Mary Ann sees miracles in the fact that children enter kindergarten speaking little or no English and leave kindergarten not only speaking English but reading it as well. And, the teachers lead by their examples of service, simplicity of life and outreach to others.

She says they truly "walk the walk." One teacher conducts a program to feed the homeless in her parish; others make sure their students are involved in meaningful service to others.

Most of the student's families do not have the money to pay for this type of education. Many of the children have their tuition covered by Catholic Education Foundation scholarships and other types of assistance.

Immaculate Conception School is an area that most of us do not travel to or through often. It is not always a safe place to live or visit. Yet I left feeling like it is a place of extraordinary goodness.

What each of us defines as a miracle is personal and often private. It is the recognition that God has touched our lives in a way that helps us see past the mundane, the regular. It requires keeping our eyes and hearts open.

Anne Hansen is a member of the Camarillo Catholic community. Her e-mail address is familymail@aol.com.