Posted on 10/24/2005 2:08:35 PM PDT by Coleus
Sly Dones said it happened on the last Thursday in July, after the Feast of St. Ann. While cleaning up around the collection of religious relics he keeps in a shrine in front of the Harrison Gardens public housing complex in Hoboken, he saw the Jesus statue open its right eye. An eye as "blue as the sky itself," says Dones.
The Sacred Heart of Jesus statue stands about 3 feet tall, with rosaries draped around the neck. Dones claims it previously had both eyes shut, but now one eye is opened wide, giving the appearance that the statue is winking. Ever since, people have come from all around to see the miracle of the "Winking Jesus."
Some might see a beaten-up plaster statue of Christ, with broken fingers, chipped paint and wires sticking out, but Dones sees an act of God, with an important message for all to hear.
"The message of the statue is, he's telling the people I'm here for you," explains Dones. "This ain't about the statue. It's about the word of God, and he wants the people together. It was a sign for the people. It was broken, both eyes were closed, then one eye opened. This happened by fate, to show the right way."
Julio "Sly" Dones has always been a deeply religious man. He's dedicated his life to maintaining his shrine of artificial flowers, photographs and statues of the Virgin Mother, Saint Anthony and Jesus Christ. The Sacred Heart of Jesus statue is about a year old; Dones salvaged it from a Dumpster in Jersey City.
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Born legally blind, Dones sees very little out of his right eye and even less out of the left one, which stays mostly shut - just like the Sacred Heart of Jesus statue.
There is no doubt that something has happened to the statue's eyes and face. The right eye looks strikingly odd, and clearly different from the closed one. But is this a miracle? Is this a message from God, here on the gritty back streets of Hoboken? Obviously, Dones has heard all the skepticism about his statue.
"It's not a hoax," he says. "You have to believe in God, all things are possible through him. The floods, the earthquakes, are a sign from God. He's telling us to come back and unite as one, as a family. Come and you will see. Those who are blind will see."
On the streets around the shrine, opinions seem to vary about the growing legend. "I believe in God," says a man called Rico, not willing to share his real name. "Not no statues. I believe in God, not a piece of something. It's good for him [Dones] if he believes. Good. People should believe what they want to believe."
Angel Medina says he's known Dones for 33 years, and he believes. "The statue is a miracle. The statue was never like this. I'm not a religious kinda guy. But when I first saw that, I felt something. Happiness. And I'm not a happy kinda guy either. We're all fighting each other out here. This opened my eyes and my heart."
Good grief.
"What squinky eye??"
Either that, or the Great I Am is letting us know that He now wants to be known as the I Yam What I Yam....
Popeye : We got the same bulgy arms.
Poopdeck Pappy : No resemblance.
Popeye : We got the same squinky eye.
Poopdeck Pappy : What squinky eye?
Popeye : We even got the same pipe, Pap.
Poopdeck Pappy : You ijit, you can't inherit a pipe.
LOL! Beat me to it by 28 seconds. But at least I provided a picture!
That's such a great sequence, it makes me laugh every time!
So I guess this proves that Jesus was a European?
Dang...and I thought he was born a Jew in Bethlehem.
The Sacred Heart of Jesus statue stands about 3 feet tall, with rosaries draped around the neck.
Mardi Gras prop?
truly this is what happens when faith in Christ himself just isn't enough...so sad...
The sound you hear is me banging my head on my desktop.
Luke 11:29 As the crowds were increasing, He began to say, "This generation is a wicked generation; it seeks for a sign, and {yet} no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah.
It was true in Jesus' day...it is true in our own.
You speak the truth...Let us pray that the world returns to Christ crucified and away from searching for their faith in "changing" statues of the Living Lord...
OMG.LOL.
It's not winking if it's stuck that way. I'd be leery of any one-eyed Jesus. No depth perception. Wonder what the statue would do if somebody placed a Bible at "eye level". Shut the eye and wince is my guess. And like Dagon, fall on its face to the earth. Here's a good spot to open the Bible:
Leviticus 26:1 Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the LORD your God.
Or how about:
1 Samuel 5:1 And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it from Ebenezer unto Ashdod.
1 Samuel 5:2 When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.
1 Samuel 5:3 And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the earth before the ark of the LORD. And they took Dagon, and set him in his place again.
1 Samuel 5:4 And when they arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of the LORD; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off upon the threshold; only the stump of Dagon was left to him.
1 Samuel 5:5 Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any that come into Dagon's house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod unto this day.
Winkin' Jesus, thinkin' gal?
Scratchin' head!
Oy, looks like He just returned from The Maha Kumbha Mela!
"...an eye as blue as the sky itself."
Just found this. Seriously hope it makes you laugh. (God does have a sense of humor.)
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