November 30, 2013
Dear Friends,
Power of the Tongue
A reading from the Letter of Saint James 3, 1 – 12:
Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, for you realize that we will be judged more strictly, for we all fall short in many respects. If anyone does not fall short in speech, he is a perfect man, able to bridle his whole body also. If we put bits into the mouth of horses to make them obey us, we also guide their whole bodies. It is the same with ships: even though they are so large and driven by fierce winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot’s inclination wishes. In the same way the tongue is a small member and yet has great pretensions.
Consider how small a fire can set a huge forest ablaze. The tongue is also a fire. It exists among our members as a world of malice, defiling the whole body and setting the entire course of our lives on fire, itself set on fire by Gehenna. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. This need not be so, my brothers and sisters. Does a spring gush forth from the same opening both pure and brackish water?Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, produce olives, or a grapevine figs? Neither can salt water yield fresh.
Today is the last day of November and we can thank the Lord for a good month. We end the month with no snow on the ground although it feels like winter.
Below you will find the message of Our Blessed Mother given to Father Melvin. She spoke to him these words:
“I love you My son Melvin and all My sons and daughters who acknowledge Me as your heavenly Mother. I call upon you to use your tongue to show your love for all the people you meet and to pray for all those in need. Give praise to your heavenly Father and to My Son Jesus, your Lord and Savior. Never use your tongue to commit sin. Keep it under control at all times. Many horrible sins are committed with the tongue. Many utter lies, insult people, curse them and condemn them. One should never do such things as they offend Your Father in heaven. You are called to love one another and to pardon all those who offend you in any way. Walk with your Savior every day and tell Him many times a day that you love Him, that you love Me and that you love all your brothers and sisters. So use your tongue to build up people and to help them in their troubles. Those who follow this way act like saints and My Son Jesus will bless them. I bless you too and I want you close to Me.”
Father Melvin