What the Secular Media Doesn't Know about Pope Francis

American Thinker ^ | September 22, 2013 | Alicia Colon

[Zakeet]

In recent columns in the mainstream press, columnists have been distorting gleefully the Pope's recent statements to make it appear he's the liberal that will bring the Catholic Church in line with their own agenda. (See: What the Pope really said.)

In actuality, Pope Francis is no more likely to approve gay marriage or homosexual activity than any other pope. If the media were less agenda-driven, they would be trying to debunk a miracle that defies explanation and which involves Pope Francis when he was a bishop in Argentina in 1996.

For many Christians, Holy Communion is a symbolic ritual, but Catholics believe it is in fact His divine body and blood. This sounds absolutely nuts, but it's a matter of faith. However, I had never heard about the Eucharistic miracle until a friend sent me a YouTube video explaining what it was all about.

On August 18, 1996 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, at Holy mass, a woman discovered a discarded host on a candleholder and brought it to Fr. Alejandro Pezet who placed it in a container of water inside the tabernacle of the chapel of the Blessed Sacrament. The following Monday, August 26, upon opening the tabernacle, the priest was astonished to find that the Host had become a bloody substance and he notified his Bishop Jorge Bergoglio (now Pope Francis I), who gave instructions that the bloodied flesh be photographed. When the photographs were taken on September 6, the bloodied flesh had grown significantly in size. After it had been kept in the tabernacle for a few years the Bishop decided to have it scientifically analyzed since it had not suffered any visible decomposition.

[Elsie]

However, a Richard-Dawkins-like flicking away of miracles--- especially well-attested miracles -- will predictably result in our becoming skeptical of His power, insensitive to His work and deaf to of His Word.

They might be; but you have NO proof of who or what actually PERFORMED these 'miracles'.

---

Matthew 24:24
“For false christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect-if that were possible.”

2 Thessalonians 2:9
“The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders.”

[Mrs. Don-o]

Oh, man, well of course GOD performs miracles. It's true, though, that as you wisely pointed out from Scripture, the Evil One can pull counterfeit miracles, too. Plus, there can be other falsifying factors, such a honest human mistake, as well as dishonest human fraud.

So ---and I'm sure that you, being a reasonable person, would agree --- one should not be too quick to give credence to a purported miracle unless it has been carefully investigated, both as to its physical aspects (ordinary forensic detective work is often relevant here) and its theological aspects (what does this mean? what is the purported message?)

This is a reliable criterion:

1 Corinthians 12:3
Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

I don't want to speak too soon about this reported Argentinian miracle, since I don't know the extent to which it has received official approval (I guess I should look that up!) --- but it seems to me, at first glance, that the "message" would be nothing more or less than what Our Lord told us:

"My Body is food indeed, and My Blood is drink indeed."

If it's a Goddamned hoax (literally), then I suppose one could do a kind of exorcism over it, saying "Jesus is Lord," and see if the Goddamned thing blows itself to bleedin' shriekin' smithereens!

(Tagline)

[St_Thomas_Aquinas]

The Church, "the pillar and foundation of truth," ultimately determines whether an event, outside of natural causation, is supernatural, of God, or preternatural.

And Jesus had strong words regarding those who will not listen to the Church.

Prior to Church sanction, there also exists the following criterion. "If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand." A miracle that leads us to Jesus is almost certainly from God.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Exactly, Tom.

Tagline.

[Elsie]

I think we are on the same page here.

[Elsie]

A miracle that leads us to Jesus is almost certainly from God.

And, of course, it goes without saying, that a miracle that leads us to the CHURCH is almost certainly from God.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Uhhh.... yeah...

[Elsie]

I believe this is a step in the right direction...

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3070653/posts

[Mrs. Don-o]

AMEN!