In this post that I do not have sufficient reputation to comment on, @hyderallie28475 asks for antonyms of catastrophe, which they define as follows:
A word for a positive event with far reaching positive consequences/benefits for many groups of people/targets, not just a select few. This event should be large in scope/effect, and the consequences needn't be sudden, as in the case of "catastrophe". The word should also be active/"violent" in mood/nature, not passive, like "boon", "fortune", or "phenomenon." It must be extreme.
An example:
The once-in-a-million-years meteor, rich in rare minerals, was a (positive antonym to catastrophe) for the FooBar Mining Colony; inspiring long lasting changes in their governance, economy, and society."
A few excellent answers were posited, such as the very uncommon word Eucatastrophy coined by Tolkien. I was curious if the word Miracle might also apply, which has the following definition:
mir·a·cle /ˈmirək(ə)l/ noun
- a surprising and welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and is therefore considered to be the work of a divine agency. "the miracle of rising from the grave"
- a highly improbable or extraordinary event, development, or accomplishment that brings very welcome consequences. "it was a miracle that more people hadn't been killed or injured"
- an amazing product or achievement, or an outstanding example of something. "a machine which was a miracle of design"]2
I'm reminded of the resurrection of Christ - which I think Tolkien listed as the prime example of eucatastrophe. A sudden event that we Christians believe had wide reaching positive consequences not just for Christ but for all of humanity.
Beyond the resurrection of Christ, there are ample examples of miracles throughout the historical record. Is miracle a potential answer to @hyderallie28475's request?
