Monday, June 11, 2012
Advice to the Married
Dear Friends,
A reading from St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians (7:1-14):
Now in regard to the matters about which you wrote: “It is a good thing for a man not to touch a woman,” but because of cases of immorality every man should have his own wife, and every woman her own husband. The husband should fulfill his duty toward his wife, and likewise the wife toward her husband. A wife does not have authority over her own body, but rather her husband, and similarly a husband does not have authority over his own body, but rather his wife. Do not deprive each other, except perhaps by mutual consent for a time, to be free for prayer, but then return to one another, so that Satan may not tempt you through your lack of self-control. This I say by way of concession, however, not as a command. Indeed, I wish everyone to be as I am, but each has a particular gift from God, one of one kind and one of another. Now to the unmarried and to widows, I say: it is a good thing for them to remain as they are, as I do, but if they cannot exercise self-control they should marry, for it is better to marry than to be on fire. To the married, however, I give this instruction (not I, but the Lord): a wife should not separate from her husband — and if she does separate she must either remain single or become reconciled to her husband — and a husband should not divorce his wife. To the rest I say (not the Lord): if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she is willing to go on living with him, he should not divorce her; and if any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he is willing to go on living with her, she should not divorce her husband. For the unbelieving husband is made holy through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy through the brother. Otherwise your children would be unclean, whereas in fact they are holy.
Last evening the sun came out and it was warm and hardly any wind. We should have a nice week.
(Below you will find the message of Our Lord and Redeemer given to Father Melvin. Jesus spoke to him these words.)
“I want you all to strive for holiness, My brother Melvin and all My brothers and sisters living in the world. I know that most of you are married or you will be married in the future. Married life is blessed by the Father and by Me. The Father created you man and woman so that you could live as husband and wife, and if possible have children and raise them up to come to know Me, to believe in Me and to follow Me. The terrible tragedy these days is to see all those married couples going for a divorce. You know when you pronounced your married vows, you promised to live together until death. This is a very important decision and it will cause your marriage to be stable. In order to preserve your marriage you need to pray every day, to forgive each other every day and to control yourself. Husband and wife are to love one another with all their heart. They are to learn from Me who loves them and who gave His life for their salvation. Accept each other as great friends who love to live together and to follow all that I have taught you. Bring up your children as Christians by having them baptized as babies, bring them to church regularly, and teach them the teachings of the church. I love you and bless you all.”
Father Melvin