Sunday, June 2, 2013
Paul before the Sanhedrin
Dear Friends,
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles (22:30; 23:1-11):
The next day, wishing to determine the truth about why [Paul] was being accused by the Jews, he freed him and ordered the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin to convene.
Then he brought Paul down and made him stand before them. Paul looked intently at the Sanhedrin and said, “My brothers, I have conducted myself with a perfectly clear conscience before God to this day.” The high priest Ananias ordered his attendants to strike his mouth. Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall. Do you indeed sit in judgment upon me according to the law and yet in violation of the law order me to be struck?” The attendants said, “Would you revile God’s high priest?” Paul answered, “Brothers, I did not realize he was the high priest. For it is written, ‘You shall not curse a ruler of your people.'”
Paul was aware that some were Sadducees and some Pharisees, so he called out before the Sanhedrin, “My brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees; I am on trial for hope in the resurrection of the dead.” When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the group became divided. For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection or angels or spirits, while the Pharisees acknowledge all three. A great uproar occurred, and some scribes belonging to the Pharisee party stood up and sharply argued, “We find nothing wrong with this man. Suppose a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” The dispute was so serious that the commander, afraid that Paul would be torn to pieces by them, ordered his troops to go down and rescue him from their midst and take him into the compound. The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage. For just as you have borne witness to my cause in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness in Rome.”
——————————
I had the visit of Our Blessed Mother yesterday, the Feast of the Visitation, and you will see what She said in the next Newsletter, which will come out in a few weeks.
Below you will find the message of Our Lord and Savior, the Son of God, given to Father Melvin. Jesus spoke to him these words,
“Rejoice in My great Feast today of My Body and Blood, especially you My brother Melvin and all My brothers and sisters in whose heart I dwell. Saint Paul had a great love for Me and he was not afraid to speak about Me. He was hauled to court before the Jews but through his faith in the resurrection, he was able to divide the Sanhedrin court and the court case ended. You know My dear ones that I am the resurrection and the life. I came back from death and I will never die again.
“I told Saint Paul at that time that he would go to Rome and there he will have to be My witness. He will teach the people about Me, their Savior. Indeed he was sent to Rome and he was bound in chains although he could go around the city teaching the people. Do not worry about what the people will do to you. Come follow Me every day, My brothers and sisters, and I will bless you.”
Father Melvin