Monday, May 28, 2012
The Flesh and the Spirit
Dear Friends,
Please read the passage below from the Letter to the Romans (8:1-13); St. Paul wrote:
Hence, now there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has freed you from the law of sin and death. For what the law, weakened by the flesh, was powerless to do, this God has done: by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for the sake of sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, so that the righteous decree of the law might be fulfilled in us, who live not according to the flesh but according to the spirit. For those who live according to the flesh are concerned with the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the spirit with the things of the spirit. The concern of the flesh is death, but the concern of the spirit is life and peace. For the concern of the flesh is hostility toward God; it does not submit to the law of God, nor can it; and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh; on the contrary, you are in the spirit, if only the Spirit of God dwells in you. Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the spirit is alive because of righteousness. If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also, through his Spirit that dwells in you. Consequently, brothers, we are not debtors to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die, but if by the spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
I pray that you all had a wonderful Feast of Pentecost. It was a great day for me with many gifts from the Holy Spirit.
(Below you will find the message of Our Lord and Redeemer given to Father Melvin. Jesus spoke to him these words,)
“You were blessed by the Holy Spirit, My brother Melvin and all My brothers and sisters living in every country of the world. Open your hearts to Him every day and He will fill you with His strength and life.
There are two roads you can follow: the road of the flesh or the road of the Spirit. The flesh will keep your minds and hearts glued to the things of this world. You will be looking for worldly things to satisfy your bodily appetites. Some go for alcohol, others for drugs, others for money, others for sex, others for worldly fame, etc. These things cannot bring you happiness only a bit of pleasure for a short time and then depression.
However, if you follow the way of the Spirit, He will fill you with His strength to say ‘no’ to anything evil and ‘yes’ to the things of God. You will love to help the sick, the infirm, the poor, the young and all those in need. You will be ready to help them without asking for anything. You will be a person of prayer who loves to live in union with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. You will be blessed with love and peace, gifts which only God can bring you. I bless you all.”
Father Melvin