Monday, January 09, 2012
The Temptations of Jesus
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was hungry. The tempter approached and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves of bread.” He said in reply, “It is written: ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.'” Then the devil took him to the holy city, and made him stand on the parapet of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you and ‘with their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.'” Jesus answered him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.'” Then the devil took him up to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence, and he said to him, “All these I shall give to you, if you will prostrate yourself and worship me.” At this, Jesus said to him, “Get away, Satan! It is written: ‘The Lord, your God, shall you worship and him alone shall you serve.'” Then the devil left him and, behold, angels came and ministered to him. (Passage from the Gospel of St. Matthew 4:1-11)
Dear Friends,
Yesterday, Sunday, I concelebrated Holy Mass at 11:00 a.m. with the Parish Priest at the Immaculate Conception Church, Palmer Road. Some snow had fallen the night before but only about two inches so I got to the church without trouble. Today I will go to the Manor in Alberton to celebrate Holy Mass with the Catholics there. Most of them come to Mass every Monday.
(Below you will find the message of Our Lord and Redeemer given to Father Melvin. Jesus spoke to him these words:)
“Join Me, My brother Melvin and all My brothers and sisters scattered all over the world, to do battle with Satan. He tempted Me when I was in the desert after I had fasted for 40 days and 40 nights. I opposed him every time and he could never get Me to do the wrong things that he commanded Me. Satan knew that I was hungry so he asked me to change the stones into loaves of bread but to do that was to satisfy My own desire, which I did not come to earth to do. He brought Me to the top of the temple and asked Me to throw Myself down and the angels would come and support Me. For Me to do this was presumption and it would force My Father to do something He was not ready to do. At the end the devil brought me to the top of a mountain and showed Me all the kingdoms of the world and then he told Me to worship him. For the Son of God to do such a thing would be preposterous; I chased him away.
I want all of you to act in the same way when the devil tempts you. Never give in to any of his temptations. When you see what is asked is sinful then drive him away. I will be there to bless you and to give you many graces. I love you.”
Father Melvin