Thursday, March 7, 2013
Advice to the Persecuted
Dear Friends,
A reading from the First Letter of St. Peter (4:12-19):
Beloved, do not be surprised that a trial by fire is occurring among you, as if something strange were happening to you. But rejoice to the extent that you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that when his glory is revealed you may also rejoice exultantly. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. But let no one among you be made to suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as an intriguer. But whoever is made to suffer as a Christian should not be ashamed but glorify God because of the name. For it is time for the judgment to begin with the household of God; if it begins with us, how will it end for those who fail to obey the gospel of God?
“And if the righteous one is barely saved, where will the godless and the sinner appear?” As a result, those who suffer in accord with God’s will hand their souls over to a faithful creator as they do good.
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Yesterday the sun came out just a little bit and not for long. It was cloudy for the rest of the day. The sun should shine for much longer today. Let us continue to pray for the cardinals that they will select the pope that the Lord wants. I hope we will have a new pope next week.
Below you will find the message of Our Lord, the Son of God, given to Father Melvin. Jesus spoke to him these words,
“Be ready to suffer together with Me My brother Melvin and all My brothers and sisters who call themselves Catholics and Christians. Do not be afraid of those who make fun of you because you believe in Me. Know that many refused to believe in Me when I was on earth. They rejected Me and even said that I healed people with the power of the devil, what nonsense. Today in this secular world of yours, there are many who would like to destroy your Christian religion. Look what happened in Russia and China and in many communist countries, but they were not able to destroy the faith in those countries. They also tried to destroy the church in Mexico in the 1920s but they never succeeded and today the faith there is very strong. Sometimes it is good to have your faith tested so that it can grow more and more. Follow Me and do not worry about what the people are saying or doing. Remember that I love you and I will strengthen you.”
Father Melvin