Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Paul in Thessalonic
Dear Friends,
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles (17:1-9):
When [Saint Paul and his companions] took the road through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they reached Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. Following his usual custom, Paul joined them, and for three sabbaths he entered into discussions with them from the scriptures, expounding and demonstrating that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead, and that “This is the Messiah, Jesus, whom I proclaim to you.” Some of them were convinced and joined Paul and Silas; so, too, a great number of Greeks who were worshipers, and not a few of the prominent women. But the Jews became jealous and recruited some worthless men loitering in the public square, formed a mob, and set the city in turmoil. They marched on the house of Jason, intending to bring them before the people’s assembly. When they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city magistrates, shouting, “These people who have been creating a disturbance all over the world have now come here, and Jason has welcomed them. They all act in opposition to the decrees of Caesar and claim instead that there is another king, Jesus.” They stirred up the crowd and the city magistrates who, upon hearing these charges, took a surety payment from Jason and the others before releasing them.
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We had a cool and cloudy day yesterday but I hope the sun will come out today.
Below you will find the message of Our Lord, the Son of God, given to Father Melvin. Jesus spoke to him these words,
“When you suffer, My brother Melvin and all My brothers and sisters who are My followers, you know that you imitate Me. I suffered very much when I was on earth. They wanted to chase Me away from Nazareth where I grew up. The Jews said that I drove away the evil spirits with the power of the devil, while you all know that I used the power of God, as I am the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity. In many places where Saint Paul went, the Jews stirred up trouble against him because he spoke about Me. Yet he was never afraid and he never stopped doing the work to which I called him.
“In these days, there is a lot of opposition to Me and so My followers will suffer at times. If you stand up for me, you will attract a good number of people and they will follow you in believing in Me. In this way you will build up My church and in time the opposition to Me will get less. Come My friends and pray regularly for the strength to be My witnesses, no matter what opposition you find. I love you and I bless you all.”
Father Melvin