Agreed. It does not seem like bi-location ever happens for frivolous reasons or showboating. But although the physical phenomenon is impressive, the real cause of interest is that it usually seems to happen for a good reason - such as saving a personās life, like the scenario you mentioned with saint Padre Pio, or evangelizing the natives of North America for Maria Egreda.
The church always pays more attention to the moral end of a miraculous event than to the miraculous event itself. Or at least, the church tends to evaluate such events this way.
It reminds me of the story of Saint Thomas Aquinas, who was called in to see a levitating nun. Apparently he just looked at her floating there and commented, āI didnāt know nuns wore such big boots.ā The comment seemed to stir/annoy the nun out of her trance and she returned to the earth a little miffed. That seems to imply the cause of the nunās levitation was not necessarily associated with her holiness. God may have imparted the miracle to a less than perfect nun, or perhaps the devil had a hand in the event. Who knows.
Apparently Saint Thomas himself was known to levitate, although I canāt find the actual source, it is mentioned by Chesterton in an essay of his on Aquinas:
Then he could be compared with other saints or theologians, as mystic rather than dogmatic. For he was, like a sensible man, a mystic in private and a philosopher in public. He had āreligious experienceā all right; but he did not, in the modern manner, ask other people to reason from his experience. He only asked them to reason from their own experience. His experiences included well-attested cases of levitation in ecstasy; and the Blessed Virgin appeared to him, comforting him with the welcome news that he would never be a Bishop.
Can you imagine the huge Thomas Aquinas floating around in the air!
From a religious perspective it seems that levitation itself is no absolute sign of sanctity. But it would seem to bolster the claims to authoritative preaching or theology, if that preaching and theology be deemed in line with the doctrine of the church. I mean, can you imagine the saint from Cupertino preaching a sermon, then start flying overhead in an ecstasy? I know I would be amazed, and moved to take to heart what he was saying. Perhaps that is the root cause for such happenings. The dogmatic constitution, Dei Filius, has this to say about miracles:
However, in order that the āobedienceā of our faith should be āconsonant with reasonā [cf. Rom 12:1], God has willed that to the internal aids of the Holy Spirit there should be joined external proofs of His revelation, namely: divine facts, especially miracles and prophecies which, because they clearly show forth the omnipotence and infinite knowledge of God, are most certain signs of a divine revelation, and are suited to the intelligence of all. Wherefore, not only Moses and the prophets, but especially Christ the Lord Himself, produced many genuine miracles and prophecies; and we read concerning the apostles: āBut they going forth preached everywhere: the Lord working withal and confirming the word with signs that followedā [Mk 16:20]. And again it is written: āAnd we have the more firm prophetical word: whereunto you do well to attend, as to a light that shineth in a dark placeā [2Pet 1:19].
Although this passage seems to apply only to divine revelation, it can also be practically applied to the miracles of saints.
Just some thoughts anyway. I still think we can have some fun trying to speculate what underlying science could be involved in these miracles.
God bless,
Ut
:yup::yup::yup::yup:
