Posted on 08/15/2013 7:53:55 AM PDT by Alex Murphy
A growing number of Catholics have been flocking to the St. John's Cathedral in Fresno, Calif., to worship under a Crape Myrtle tree said to be weeping a miraculous healing liquid from God, but scientists say those "tears" are just a steady stream of bug poop.
Despite what the scientists say, however, the faithful maintain the liquid is a touch from God for believers.
"They can say it's this theory, that theory, the tree does this every year, it's odd when it happens when there is bunch of people praying. When you are asking the Holy Spirit to reveal itself and then it happens all of a sudden and it's still here," said Janine Esquivel-Oji told My Fox Philly.
"When you say 'glory be to God in Jesus' name' the tree starts throwing out more water," explained Maria Ybarra to KGPE-TV.
Ybarra was the first person to experience the miracle of the droplets coming from the tree while she was praying with a sick woman under it. The tree released water unto the sick woman and she said she felt better.
"Then she said 'oh my gosh, I hadn't feel good, and then when the water was hitting me it changed me I feel peace.' I said the Lord be with you. The Lord said peace be with you, peace I give you, " Ybarra told My Fox Philly.
"I said my prayer and asked the Lord to give me a miracle cause I'm really, really sick," Rosemarie Navarro told KGPE.
A number of the faithful flocking to the tree even brought their children along to see the miracle in motion.
"I'm like let's go, you guys can take a look for yourselves and then you can decide. When you get there you can decide if it was a tree that got wet," Jenny Estevez noted to My Fox Philly.
Entomologist Richard Covelo, however, explained that the tears coming from the tree are simply honey dew – "a sweet liquid emitted from the anus of aphids and some other sap sucking bugs" according to an online definition.
"Crape Myrtle trees as a generality can get really high populations of Crape Myrtle aphids and at times it can look so bad that it looks like the tree is raining out of it with all the honey dew dripping down," said Covelo.
Ybarra, however, maintains that the liquid isn't coming for the bugs' anus.
"I know it's coming from God, and ye of little faith will not reach the kingdom of God," she said.
I can't argue with that.
If it is aphids, let us not forget that God created the aphids and uses them to His purposes.
That whole argument is utter dependent on that first word - IF.
Let me know when that word changes from IF to AFTER.
Nice dodge, not unexpected.
No. Thgey are not.
Contrary to the Papist world view they live in their own sect. Closer to Rome in many ways than the churches that spring from the Reformation.
I’m Catholic, and all I can say is “There are weirdo’s in every group.” Enuff said.
Those are all interesting natural possibilities, but God’s Word makes it clear that Manna was something supernatural, and ended after the Children of Israel ate food from the Promised Land.
Joshua 5:12 (KJV)
And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.
It first appeared after the dew in Exodus 16:8-14, not before, and not after Joshua 5:12.
Had it been the result of common insects, or nature, surely the Bedouins of the Sinai would have used it before, and after. And its doubtful the plants or insects would have produced the quantity and density necessary to feed such a large host - 600,000 fighting men plus women, elderly and children! The Word confirms it was not known before or after. Deut 8:3-16, Josh 5:12
It rained (or came) from Heaven Ps 78:24, John 6:31-32
It was found on the ground, not on plants. Ex 16:14
They kept some in the Ark and it was preserved, while the rest would go bad after one day, except the day before the Sabbath when twice as much was gathered for both days. Ex 16:19-20, 16:33, Heb 9:4
It was small, round, sweet, and would melt - Ex 16.
Manna sustained them briefly until they reached the land of promise. Jesus reveals that he is the true bread from Heaven that gives life!
John 6:30-38 (KJV)
They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work?
Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.
Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.
For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.
Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.
And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.
All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
Now they are trying to say bug poo is really something more Divine. (More closet Pentecostalism)
Just like the religious folk in the OT, constantly demanding signs.
Let’s not let God’s word get in the way here! < /sarc>
Denial ain’t just a river in Egypt.
Pentcoastals are Protestants. (By the way, I am a Protestant, though not one of the Pentecostal variety.)
It is a stream of thought in Papist thought though!
Amazing that folks here believe manna was supernatural (as do I) but that that which it prefigured, the True Presence of Christ in the Holy Eucharist, is only symbolic, in contradiction of the plain clear sense of scription of John 6.
Are you saying something was aimed at me?
So this stuff does come from God, regifted once.
There you go, snakehandler.
Wow - it's been a long while since I've been personally called that.
That describes all of Protestantism: contrary to the Papist [sic] world view, and living in their own sect.
Holiness movementThe holiness movement refers to a set of beliefs and practices emerging from 19th-century Methodism, and to a number of evangelical Christian denominations who emphasize those beliefs as a central doctrine. The movement is distinguished by its emphasis on John Wesley's "Christian perfection" teaching—the belief that it is possible to live free of voluntary sin, and particularly by the belief that this may be accomplished instantaneously through a second work of grace.
Try to figure out how to bottle that Holy Sap...If you can feel better just letting the stuff drop on you, just think of the benefits of taking it by the teaspoon...Catholics will go nuts over that stuff...You’ll be rich...
“Holiness Churches”? Really? LOL
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