April 5, 2015
The Appearance to the Disciples in Jerusalem
A reading from the Gospel of Saint John 24. 36 – 49:
While the disciples were still speaking about this, Jesus stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” But they were startled and terrified and thought they were seeing a ghost. Then he said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet; that it is I myself. Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have.” And as he said this; he showed them his hands and his feet. While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed, he asked them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of baked fish; he took it and ate it in front of them.
He said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you; that everything written about me in the law of Moses and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures. And he said to them, “Thus it is written that the Messiah would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold I am sending the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”
Some years ago I was in Jerusalem for the great Feast of Easter. I was present at the tomb of Our Lord when it was announced that the Lord was risen. The Bishop had entered the tomb and came out with a lit candle to announce the resurrection. Everyone held a candle and all the candles were lit from the candle of the Bishop. After it was all over I entered the tomb and knelt at the very spot where the resurrection took place. What a joy it must have been for the Apostles and those who believed in Jesus as the Messiah when they came to accept that Jesus who had died on the cross was now risen and full of life. The resurrection of Jesus is the greatest miracle that helps us to believe in Jesus as Our Savior and Lord. Let us be joyful on this great day. I wish you all a very wonderful and joyful Easter.
Below you will find the message of Our Lord and Savior given to Father Melvin. Jesus spoke to him these words,
“I call you all to believe in My Resurrection My brother Melvin and all My brothers and sisters who accept Me as your Savior. It was difficult for the Apostles to believe that I was risen from the dead when I first appeared to them in Jerusalem. They thought I was a ghost. I had to show them My hands and My feet and I had to eat food in their midst so they could accept that I was not a ghost but truly a living person with My human nature. Once they came to believe then they were filled with joy and now they accepted all that I had taught them. There was one Apostle, Thomas, who was not there when I visited them on Easter Day. When he was told that I was risen, he would not believe it. He would only believe if he put his fingers in the wounds of My hands and in the wound of My side. A week later he was there when I came to visit them and I called him to put his finger in the wounds of My hands and in My side and he did. Then he fell on his knees and exclaimed, “My Lord and My God.”
My dear friends, come and believe with all your heart that I came back to life three days after My death on the cross. I will never die again. I am now your Savior, the King of the people of the world. Come and be united to Me and you will be part of My Kingdom and you will walk with Me on earth every day and at the end I will come to get you and bring you to heaven where you will live forever in great joy and great happiness. I bless you all.”
Father Melvin