Sunday, November 27, 2011
The Resurrection of Jesus
Dear Friends,
At daybreak on the first day of the week the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb; but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were puzzling over this, behold, two men in dazzling garments appeared to them. They were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground. They said to them, “Why do you seek the living one among the dead? He is not here, but he has been raised. Remember what he said to you while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners and be crucified, and rise on the third day.” And they remembered his words. Then they returned from the tomb and announced all these things to the eleven and to all the others. The women were Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James; the others who accompanied them also told this to the apostles, but their story seemed like nonsense and they did not believe them. But Peter got up and ran to the tomb, bent down, and saw the burial cloths alone; then he went home amazed at what had happened. (Passage from the Gospel of St. Luke 24:1-12)
Today is the First Sunday of Advent as we begin our preparation for Christmas. We are today entering a new period in the liturgical calendar of the Church. Tomorrow I will leave for Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, in order to take the plane on Tuesday morning at 6:00 a.m. The next day I will be in the Holy Land, where Jesus was born and were He lived and died. I already spent three months in Israel in the past. I was able to take time with our group to visit many places. I spent a whole week in Nazareth for example and visited many places all around this town. I will be back on December 9. Please remember me and the whole group I will be traveling with for ten days.
(Below you will find the message of Our Lord and Savior given to Father Melvin. Jesus spoke to him these words:)
“Rejoice, My brother Melvin and all My brothers and sisters living in every part of the world. Remember I came back to life on Sunday and that is why Sunday is the Day of the Lord for My followers. I had announced that I would suffer and die and be buried but on the third day I would rise from the dead never to die again. All Christians will remember this great event with joy because, through My resurrection, I showed that I had conquered everything and that I was truly the Son of God. My resurrection is the great proof that what I have taught the Apostles, what I had foretold them was the truth. Only a divine person could bring about such a great miracle and in fact that is what I am.
Come, My brothers and sisters, and believe in Me with all your heart. Know that I am the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity who put on human nature and lived among you. I experienced everything that a human person experiences but I never committed any sin. I am an example to you and the one who can strengthen you. I am your Savior.”
Father Melvin