didn't know that
I think things falling unexplainably implies malice meaning demons
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The story told about one day's happenings proves this out.
What I said above was a summary................
The expanded version follows..................
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Padre Pio was in the Refectory with other monks in his community, seated at table. Suddenly he rose, away from his bowl of soup and made his way quickly to the front door. He opened it enough for his face to fit in the space between the door and the jamb. While he peeked through at something outside he nodded his head up and down as if in greeting someone. He raised his hand above his head and waved his fingers. The monks saw, and heard him speaking something but couldn't make out his words.
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As is common in monasteries, no one was speaking at table, but the monks, unable to ignore this strange behavior at the doorway, looked back and forth at each other with questioning glances. Gradually, they got up, first one, then another, then all the rest of them, but they did so quietly so as not to distract the Padre at the doorway.
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They stepped gingerly toward the door and tried to peek around him to see what was outside. As is the norm in refectories, there were no windows facing the path beyond the wall, so the monks had to crane their necks to peer 'round the person of the priest.
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Padre Pio continued to wave and nod, only now they could hear what he was saying. He was greeting some friends outside, and encouraging them on their way, assuring them of his approval and continued sentiments of joy, wishing them well on their journey. But try as they may, the monks behind him could not manage to see anyone outside.
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In due time, he finished his odd farewell, and closing the door, turned to return to his simple meal, curiously ignoring the monks standing there in his real presence. This astonished them all to the effect that one monk grabbed the door handle and pulled it wide open while the others crowded behind him to see the view outside beyond in the way.
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They stared in disbelief, for this new and improved view added nothing to their understanding because there was simply nothing to see. No one was outside at all. The path was empty. They could see a good long distance down the way, with not a soul in sight. Certainly if anyone had been hearing the priest's voice a moment before they would still have been in view! Then they glanced at each other with far greater questioning countenances than they had had at table. This is when they noticed each other's mouth was open. As a group they all turned gawking toward the oblivious priest who had re-seated himself at table as if nothing were out of the ordinary.
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They closed the door again, softly, and walked all together back to table facing the seated priest who was slowly and deliberately spooning his soup. They were as a bouquet of flowers or a small grove of trees planted in the midst of the room, quietly awaiting the action of a man. They were flowers in need of arranging; they were trees awaiting the pruner.
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The monk who had first arose from table and had re-opened the door haltingly spoke to the seated priest.
"Padre Pio, to whom were you speaking outside the door?" There was a note of pleading in his voice as if to say,
Dear father, we are in ignorance and we want to know: please teach us!.
He raised his eyes to squarely meet his questioner and frankly replied in a most offhand and calm manner, that it had been so-and-so and another (he mentioned their names). He returned to spoon and bowl. The monks shared more puzzled glances with no signs of recognition. Shoulders shrugged and hands turned open. The first monk spoke again, asking whether those should be names they ought to know.
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Padre Pio put his spoon down and firmly replied with the very confident authority for which he was often known, saying that these men had been in Purgatory for
a long time -- would have been there for yet much longer were it not for the prayers and penances accredited to their account
through the monastery that surrounds your heads at this moment in time. He waved his hands and looked up to the ceiling and over to the walls, almost as if it were not dissimilar to the very Purgatory that had enclosed his friends only shortly before, nor was it any less real.
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They had stopped on the way to heaven to render their thanks for Padre Pio's intercession. And the Padre had told them,
"Until we meet again! Go with God.".