The Israelites crossing the parted sea under the leadership of Moses.
enrico said...
Dear Fr. Abe,
Peace be with you…
I would like you to enlighten me about this question?
Is Miracle… a work of Evil? or It is a Divine Grace coming from God?
How do we know if it is a Divine Grace
while Satan can also make a miracle?
Actually this is the common question were Heretics et. al.
said to the Catholic Faithful mostly against Virgin Mary and our Saints…
Salamat po.
September 2, 2010 12:46 AM
Fr. Abe, CRS said...
DEAR BRO. ENRICO,
[Peace be with you…]
PEACE BE WITH YOU TOO. LET IT BE IN YOUR SPIRIT.
[I would like you to enlighten me about this question]
OK I WILL TRY MY BEST.
[Is Miracle… a work of Evil? or It is a Divine Grace coming from God?]
MIRACLES ARE DIVINE GRACE FROM GOD. THE DEVIL HAS NO POWER TO MAKE MIRACLES. YOU WILL UNDERSTAND IT WHEN YOU KNOW THE PROPER DEFINITION OF MIRACLE:
"Miracle is an effect produced by God in the bodily universe, outside the order of created nature." [St. Thomas Aquinas, SUMMA THEOLOGICA, Ia, Q.105. Art. 7]
EVERY BEING ACTS ACCORDING TO ITS NATURE. THE ANIMALS ARE ACTING ACCORDING TO THEIR ABILITIES PROPER FOR DOGS, CATS, HORSES, ETC. WHILE WE HUMAN PERSONS ARE CAPABLE OF ANIMAL ABILITIES SUCH AS PRODUCING OFFSPRING, LOCOMOTION, ETC. BECAUSE WE HAVE CORPOREAL BODIES.
THE ANGELS TOO ARE ACTING ACCORDING TO THEIR NATURE AS PURE SPIRITS. THEY CANNOT DO THINGS BEYOND THEIR NATURE.
MIRACLES ARE BEYOND THE CREATED NATURE. FOR INSTANCE, THE WATERS OF THE SEA ARE BY NATURE GATHERED INTO THE SEA, BUT WHEN A GROUP OF PEOPLE WANTED TO CROSS THAT SEA AND IT SUDDENLY PARTED TO ACCOMMODATE THE NEEDS OF THAT GROUP THEN IT IS A MIRACLE. IF THE WATER LEFT THE SEA IN A TSUNAMI OR TIDAL WAVES CAUSED BY VOLCANIC ERUPTION ON THE SEA BEDS THEN IT IS OF NATURAL CAUSE OR BECAUSE OF A GREAT STORM. CANCER CELLS ARE BY NATURE SPREADING. THE MEDICINES CAN CONTAIN IT FOR A WHILE BUT SOON IT WILL SPREAD NATURALLY. IN THE CASE OF THE ARCHBISHOP IT INDEED SPREAD TO THE LEVEL THAT IS BEYOND THE POWER OF MODERN MEDICINE TO STOP. THEN SUDDENLY, THEY DISAPPEARED UNEXPECTLY AND FOR NO REASON AT ALL. THAT IS BEYOND THE ORDER OF NATURE. THE CANCER CELLS ACTED IN A MANNER THAT IS BEYOND THE ORDER OF ITS NATURE.
[How do we know if it is a Divine Grace
while Satan can also make a miracle?]
WE KNOW THAT IT IS DIVINE GRACE BY THE VERY NATURE OF THE MIRACLE. IF WHAT HAD HAPPENED IS BEYOND OR ABOVE NATURE THEN ONLY GOD CAN DO IT. SECOND IF THE EFFECTS OF MIRACLES ARE GENUINELY GOOD AND NOT ILLUSORY THEN IT IS COMING FROM GOD.
SATAN CANNOT MAKE A MIRACLE. ST. THOMAS CLEARLY EXPLAINED THAT IN SUMMA THEOLOGICA, Ia, Q. 110, Art. 4.
INDEED, ORDINARY FOLKS ARE USING THE TERM 'MIRACLES' FOR THE WORKS OF MAGICIANS, OR FOR THE WORKS OF THE DEVIL OR ON THINGS THAT THEY CANNOT EXPLAIN SUCH AS THE U.F.O's ETC. BUT THEY ARE NOT STRICTLY MIRACLES BECAUSE THE DEVIL AND THE FALLEN ANGELS WERE ONLY DOING WHAT IS WITHIN THE REAL OF THEIR NATURAL ABILITES AND TALENTS.
THE DEVIL BEING A PURE SPIRIT CAN DO THINGS BEYOND THE REASONING OR ABILITIES OF MAN BUT THAT EXTRAORDINARY POWER IS NATURAL TO THE ORDER OF ANGELS OR PROPER TO ANGELIC NATURE. One of the proofs of this is the contest between Moses and the Magicians of Egypt who were Idols or Demons worshippers. The false gods and demonic powers failed to equal much more defeat the Miraculous Manifestations of the Almighty Power of God. God suspended several laws of nature to prove His greatness over Pharaoh.
ONLY GOD CAN DO MIRABLE IN THE REAL SENSE OF THE WORD BECAUSE GOD IS THE CREATOR AND PROVIDER OF ALL THINGS. THE CREATOR OF ALL IS NOT PART OF THE CREATED BEING, HE IS BEYOND IT. THEN, HE IS THE ETERNAL LAW MAKER OF THE UNIVERSE. HE CAN SUSPEND THE COURSE OF NATURE OR THE LAW OF NATURE WITHOUT DESTROYING IT. THE SUPREME LAWMAKER HAS THE POWER TO SUSPEND HIS OWN LAW OR EVEN TO ABOLISH IT IF HE WISHES TO DO SO. THUS, EVEN THOUGH THE STORM RAGES GOD CAN COMMAND IT TO STOP FOR THAT INSTANCE WITHOUT NECESSITATING TO DO THE SAME FOR ALL STORMS.
AS GOD PRESERVES THE NATURAL ORDER OF CREATED BEING AS THE DIVINE PROVIDENCE, HE CAN ALSO SUSPEND IT AS HE WILL BY HIS ALMIGHTY POWER. THAT IS WHY MIRACLES ARE RARE. IT IS NOT FOR ALL. IF ALL CANCER STRICKEN ARE BEING CURED THEN IT IS ALREADY THE PATTERN OR ORDER OF NATURE.
[Actually this is the common question were Heretics et. al.
said to the Catholic Faithful mostly against Virgin Mary and our Saints…]
IT'S ALRIGHT. THOSE HERETICS ARE FOND OF ATTACKING OUR FAITH AS A MANIFESTATION OF THEIR HATRED WITHIN THEMSELVES.
[Salamat po.]
WELCOME.
September 2, 2010 11:11 AM
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![ST. JEROME EMILIANI [1486-1537]](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6dKQTchkJaA/R0lo013dyBI/AAAAAAAAB_4/XzUAPDESwwQ/s1600/St.+Jerome+in+prayer,+small_1.jpg)
Very good explanation. There's a great explanation of this by Colin Donovan somewhere on EWTN's site. I think it's in reference to Medjugorje, where the investigators found reported phenomena to be merely "preternatural" and not "miraculous" in a manner sufficient to say they are the work of God as opposed to spirits.
ReplyDelete"His miracles are marvelous, more than we can count" (Job 5:9, CEV)
ReplyDelete"He does great things that we cannot understand and miracles that we cannot count" (Job 5:9, God's Word).
Thank you po Fr. Abe...
ReplyDeleteAng galing talaga ni St.Thomas Aquinas(Pray for us)a humble servant to GOD.
At sa mga naniniwala kay Satanas na gumagawa ng milagro...Totoo po yan nakakagawa sya ng milagro.Kaya nga pag may anomaliya na nangyayari sa gobyerno? ang sabi natin "MAY MILAGRO na NAGANAP" kaya dapat talaga imbestigahan ...hahaha!
Lalo na siguro ang IKAPU ?...hahaha!
Thank you very much John.
ReplyDeleteYes, I have heard that report on the alleged miracles in Medjugorje which the Church investigators found to be merely 'preternatural' and not truly miraculous.
Ha, ha, ha... Ikaw talaga Bro. Enrico. Ha, ha, ha...
ReplyDeleteThanks Bro. Mars.
ReplyDeleteThe devil, being a fallen angel, has preternatural powers that can appear miraculous. An excellent example of how the devil can fool people is given in this interview about Medjugorje by the chairman of the German Society for Mariology, professor of dogmatics and patristics at Lugano, Manfred Hauke, about the subject. The interview appeared on the website http://catholiclight.stblogs.org/archives/2010/02/hauke-on-medj.html.
ReplyDelete"For the devil there is no problem, for example, in making statues cry, calling forth ecstasies and stigmata, to manipulate cameras, to make people speak in tongues, or produce marvelous scents. Because of his surpassing knowledge of the natural world he can also, to a limited degree, make assertions about the future, in cases when the influences of the already recognizable factors is extrapolated. He can also reveal hidden things that are unknown to a person (with the exception of secrets of the innermost part of man). A known example for the working of the devil in pseudo-mystical phenomena is, say, in Spain in the 16th century, the life of the religious sister Magdalena of the Cross (1487-1560). From the age of five she had plenty of ecstasies and visions. She tells the story that Saints Dominic and Francis had prepared her for receiving her first Communion. Three months before being granted permission to receive the Eucharist, she is receiving Communion daily "in a mystical manner", in which every time she emits a scream. At the age of 17 she enters a convent of the Poor Clares in Cordoba. She receives stigmata and clairvoyantly knows how to find hidden objects. At her perpetual profession the nuns are surprised at the lengthy presence of a dove, which is taken to be a sign of the Holy Spirit. Karl I, the king of Spain, has Magdalena bless, among other things, the royal standard and the clothing of his son Philip. Cardinal Cisneros and numerous other princes of the Church are also impressed. Even the Holy Father personally asked the Spanish Poor Clare for her intercession. Only a few reflective contemporaries such as St. Ignatius of Loyola and St. John of Avila remain skeptical. Their doubts are confirmed when the Poor Clares start to wonder about the lax leadership of their superior and elect a successor. The "miracle nun" was then visited with convulsions. When the exorcism undertaken thereafter exposes a demonic presence, the Inquisition undertakes a trial against Magdalena. In it she testifies that in the year 1504 she made a forty-year pact with the devil, which had reached its end in 1544. Her paranormal abilities ceased. After she abjured her errors, she does penance for several years, she can no longer be elected to any offices in the Order, and lives an exemplary life until her death. In other words: the devil can succeed to make fools of the highest princes of the Church for decades long. Such an example warns us to caution in the face of present-day happenings."
Fr. Abe, they are using the text in Revelation 13:13-14, what is the explanation to that father.
ReplyDeleteOk Bro. Garry I got it. Let us check Rev. 13:13-14
ReplyDeleteRev 13:13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
Rev 13:14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
Well, obviously these are manifestations of the devils. What they are doing are not real miracles it the strict sense of the word rather the devil was merely performing deceptions on the people. Let us bear in mind that Jesus promised His disciples to be able to perform great wonders:
John 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
However, the Lord also warned that the FALSE PROPHETS, THE FALSE TEACHERS AND THE ANTI-CHRIST who is the FALSE-MESSIAH will also be able to perform wonders:
Mark 13:22 For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.
The Adjective FALSE explains it. They are FALSE PROPHETS AND FALSE CHRISTS and therefore their mmiracles and their signs and wonders are also FALSE. Their so-called miracles are not equal with the Miracles wrought by God just like the confrontation between Moses and the Pharoah with his magicians and sorcerers, the Prophet Elijah against the priests of the demon Baal [1 Kings 18:38], the Apostles versus the possessed, St. Peter versus Simon Magus, etc.
Satan and the devils are known for their LIES AND DECEPTIONS thus their alleged miracles are also lies and deceptions. They are tricks or illusory images. St. Paul explains it clearly and categorically:
2 Thessalonians 2:9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and LYING wonders,
2 Thessalonians 2:10 And WITH ALL DECEIVABLENESS of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
SO, THE WONDERS AND SIGNS OF THE DEVIL IS ACTUALLY FOUNDED ON LIES AND DECEITS.
That is what Satan is... THE DECEIVER OF THE WORLD:
Revelation 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which DECEIVETH THE WHOLE WORLD: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
THIS SATANIC DECEPTION DO NOT REFER ONLY IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN DECEPTION ON ADAM AND EVE. IT SPEAKS OF ALL THE TEMPTATIONS AND SEDUCTIONS OF SATAN IN GENERAL GIVEN TO EACH AND EVERY HUMAN PERSON IN VARIOUS SITUATIONS. AND THIS DECEPTION WILL REACH ITS PINNACLE AS THE BATTLE BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL REACHES ITS CLIMAX AT THE END TIME.
Therefore, THE MIRACLES OF GOD ARE REAL WHILE THOSE OF THE DEVIL ARE FAKE.
Dear Bro. Richard,
ReplyDeleteThank you so for that valuable information. Indeed, we have to be careful and not be lax in dealing with the enemy.
The case of that Nun was similar to the case of Judas Iscariot who was able to penetrate the Apostolic College with the Apostles being unaware of his spiritual state and later of his evil plots. Only the Lord knows. The Gospel even speaks of Judas as being possessed by Satan right during the Last Supper. In our parlance today, Judas Iscariot belongs to the rank of the Cardinals... a top ranked apostle, one of the original twelve was able to be deceived and possessed by Satan. The First Pope was not aware of his evil scheme until it was too late.
Thanks be to God, the Lord preserved the First Pope from the seductions of Satan and despite his weakness Peter became the rock on whom the faithful hold on to after the Ascension of the Lord.
Than Nun fooled even the Pope but she was not able to deceive the Pope to teach something contrary to Faith and Morals.
ACTUALLY THE MIRACLE OF THE DEVIL IN THE STORY IS NOT REAL, IT IS BASED ON DECEPTIONS. AND IT IS STILL WITHIN THE NATURAL ORDER PROPER FOR THE ANGELIC CREATURES.
You might want to read my refutation of the attacks on Marian apparitions of the apostate priest now Baptist pastor, "Dr." Anthony Pezzotta. Pezzotta also used, in vain, Rev. 13:13-14 to discredit the apparitions at Fatima, especially the dancing sun phenomenon on October 13, 1917. I debunked Pezzotta's utterly false claim.
ReplyDeletehttp://bromarwilnllasos.blogspot.com/2009/03/truth-about-apparitions-part-one.html
Hi Father. I have a question. I have always pondered the meaning of this.
ReplyDeleteThe story of Jesus casting a legion of demons into a herd of pigs is found in Matthew 8:30-37; Mark 5:1-20; and Luke 8:27-38. Why did Jesus allow the demons to enter the pigs? Why didn't He simply cast them back to hell? Scripture does not provide any explanation.
Catholic theology teaches us that animals, unlike man, have "souls" but not a spirit. Man has a spiritual soul. Demons are evil spirits. Unless restrained by a greater power, they would destroy creation in hatred of God. I see in the story of the demons entering the herd of pigs two important clues about this reality: (1) Having no free will that comes with a spiritual soul the pigs were unable to offer resistance to the demons who possesed them completely at once. (2) Having taken complete control of the pigs, the demons lost no time in betraying their murderous intentions by quickly killing all the pigs.
In the rare case when a man is possessed by a demon, the possessed usually still retains some free will, and it is this remnant of man's free will that eventually makes exorcism possible. Without free will the possessed cannot be exorcised. I think the Lord allowed the demons to enter the pigs to show that if the demons had their way they would murder all of us, just as they did with the pigs. What do you think?
Dear Bro. Richard,
ReplyDelete[Hi Father. I have a question. I have always pondered the meaning of this.]
Yes Brod. I hope I can answer it. You are a very scholarly man and usually researches things well. He, he, he... Usually you are more advanced than me in reading valuable materials. He, he, he...
[The story of Jesus casting a legion of demons into a herd of pigs is found in Matthew 8:30-37; Mark 5:1-20; and Luke 8:27-38. Why did Jesus allow the demons to enter the pigs? Why didn't He simply cast them back to hell? Scripture does not provide any explanation.]
I think the reason why The Lord didn't cast them back to hell because it was not yet time:
Matthew 8:29 And behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?
The Book of Revelation is full of symbolic number of days or period of time given to the Dragon for which he can torture the earth [cf. Rev 20:3].
Why on the pigs? I myself is wondering why. He can send the demons to the desert to infest a deserted place instead. But to the pigs which later suffered terribly by being killed by the demons.
I think the Lord Jesus is giving us the message that man is more important than Animals. He noticed that the people of that place were taking good care of those pigs but were neglecting the possessed. Even if the full power of the Sacraments of the Messiah was not yet available for thse people but if their family members and friends brought them earlier to Jesus or to John the Baptizer or even the simple things of Offering Atonement for their Sins in the Temple as prescribed in the Torah, at least these poor souls would have received spiritual consolation or total healing of course from the hands of the Lord.
The herd could be properly treated while the possessed were simply left to the claws of the Evil Spirits. Thus the Lord made a categorical statement that the Children of God are more important than animals. The soul of every person is more precious than an entire livestock.
[Catholic theology teaches us that animals, unlike man, have "souls" but not a spirit.]
ReplyDeleteYes.
[Man has a spiritual soul.]
Correct.
[Demons are evil spirits.]
Yes. They are angels who lost permanently their state of grace due to rebellion against God. Thus, Fallen Angels.
[Unless restrained by a greater power, they would destroy creation in hatred of God.]
Yes. Because they are not stewards of Creation. As they are having hatred of God they are also angry at all His Creation including the world.
[I see in the story of the demons entering the herd of pigs two important clues about this reality: (1) Having no free will that comes with a spiritual soul the pigs were unable to offer resistance to the demons who possesed them completely at once.]
Correct. They are helpless being against the evil spirits.
[(2) Having taken complete control of the pigs, the demons lost no time in betraying their murderous intentions by quickly killing all the pigs.]
Obviously done by the evil spirits.
[In the rare case when a man is possessed by a demon, the possessed usually still retains some free will, and it is this remnant of man's free will that eventually makes exorcism possible.]
Very true. We were told that when the case comes that we have to perform Exorcism, with Bishop's permission of course, we have to ask the possessed person to pray with us to the Lord and personally request liberation from Satan.
[Without free will the possessed cannot be exorcised.]
Correct. Especially if the possessed deliberately accepted the possession or if he was the one who requested for it to the Devil.
[I think the Lord allowed the demons to enter the pigs to show that if the demons had their way they would murder all of us, just as they did with the pigs. What do you think?]
That is a very valid conclusion and interpretation Bro. Richard. I think that is also correct. The Gospel accounts are so rich that we can get a lot of treasures in there, a lot meaning that will be useful for our spiritual life.
The text could be seen as the Lord's way of showing us the EVIL INTENT of Satan and also to teach us TO TAKE GOOD CARE OF THE HUMAN SOUL more than our properties.
We can also view it as a tactical move by the Lord in a Spiritual Warfare. Temporarily the Lord allows Satan to occupy some animals or certain places in the world but as the Battle between Good and Evil reaches its climax the Lord will capture the world and the entire Universe. Then He will submit it to God the Father and the Father will hand Him All Power and Glory and Kingship. God shall be all in all.
how about Fr Suarez's miracles? can you explain that Fr?
ReplyDelete-"anonymous"
I withold judgment for a while.
ReplyDeleteIn order to check the authenticity of the miracle the doctors must testify based on medical evidences that there is really no cure in the sickness and then those who claimed to have been healed must also return to the doctors to show that there is indeed the disappearnce of the sickness. This is the case of Arch. Legazpi and I can't say the same for those who asked for the blessings of Fr. Suarez.
I lead the matter to the Bishops who are the ones in the position to give judgment on the matter.
nice answer Fr, thats the same answer i give to those who ask me about Fr Suarez, but i dont comment about that, i am in no position to say something about Fr Suarez. But behind my mind.........( i cant tell you either) :)
ReplyDeletebtw, I am not CFD but many thought I am esp the JW when I encounter them. I am not planning to join CFD right now because Im busy in the Legion of Mary apostolates. Hope to hear you soon Fr!
-"anonymous"
THANK YOU VERY MUCH BROTHER FOR DEFENDING THE CATHOLIC FAITH. God bless you and your apostolates with the Legion of Mary. Indeed we are soldiers of Mary. We belong to her Roman Army [Legion].
ReplyDeleteThanks po fr. with your answer. God bless !
ReplyDeleteWelcome Bro. Garry.
ReplyDelete