Posted by giveawayboy on February 19, 2003 at 00:05:12:
In Reply to: Interesting Link posted by Fiiiyer on February 18, 2003 at 15:41:38:
The main thing about signs from God is that they will overwhelmingly point people to Christ. The thrust behind a sign from God will always be to focus our lives more on a disciplined life in him.
The Catholic Church, although witness to many miracles, does not make miracles the center of Christian life. Christ is the SOURCE and SUMMIT of our faith. Usually what you will get in the case of reported weeping statuary or other miraculous phenomena, like healings for instance, will be a general extended silence by the church. Sure, many people might show their devotion and make pilgrimages, but the church plays a kind of devil's advocate role here, not speaking for or against something until it is very clear what God might be saying. There are hundreds and thousands of people who believe different things about different supposed miracles. Still, no one is required by the Church to believe in any of these. Also, unless a miracle is approved by the Church as authentic, usually after laborious scrutiny, usually the leaders of the Church won't visibly support it. The norm is that the Bishop of the diocese where the miracle occurs might make a statement about it, confirming or denying it's authenticity. In many cases this statement is not made for many years, sometimes never. The rule of thumb is not to get sidetracked by miracles, while still believing that they CAN occur, since God can do anything. I personally believe in certain weeping phenomena. This is my personal belief. I'm not telling anyone else how to believe. I do not know enough to have a position on this Bangladeshi event. I will say this, if it is not leading folks to a better walk w Jesus, then it quite possibly is bogus. I refrain from judging against it too in the case that it is sent from God.
Peace, Bill