Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Paul before the Sanhedrin
Dear Friends,
Please read the following passage from the Acts of the Apostles (23:1-11):
Paul looked intently at the Sanhedrin and said, “My brothers, I have conducted myself with a perfectly clear conscience before God to this day.” The high priest Ananias ordered his attendants to strike his mouth. Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall. Do you indeed sit in judgment upon me according to the law and yet in violation of the law order me to be struck?” The attendants said, “Would you revile God’s high priest?” Paul answered, “Brothers, I did not realize he was the high priest. For it is written, ‘You shall not curse a ruler of your people.’ Paul was aware that some were Sadducees and some Pharisees, so he called out before the Sanhedrin, “My brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees; I am on trial for hope in the resurrection of the dead.” When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the group became divided. For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection or angels or spirits, while the Pharisees acknowledge all three. A great uproar occurred, and some scribes belonging to the Pharisee party stood up and sharply argued, “We find nothing wrong with this man. Suppose a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” The dispute was so serious that the commander, afraid that Paul would be torn to pieces by them, ordered his troops to go down and rescue him from their midst and take him into the compound. The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage. For just as you have borne witness to my cause in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness in Rome.”
We had a very warm day yesterday and a lot of snow disappeared. It will be warm again today. Last evening I went to our parish church for one hour of Eucharistic Adoration.
(Below you will find the message of Our Lord and Redeemer given to Father Melvin. Jesus spoke to him these words.)
“I love you, My brother Melvin and all My brothers and sisters scattered all over the world. Do not be afraid to be My witnesses wherever you live. See how St. Paul, My Apostle, was not afraid to witness to Me and about My resurrection. Indeed the Jews were divided because only the Pharisees believed in the resurrection of the dead. It is a fact that after three days in the tomb I came back to life with an incorrupt body. All the Apostles saw Me and others too. I ate with the Apostles, I spoke to them and I even cooked for them. I stayed with them for forty days after My resurrection to teach them and to prepare them to receive the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and to begin My Church. On the fortieth day after My resurrection I ascended into heaven in their midst. They saw me rising and going up to heaven where I took My place on the right of My Heavenly Father as your Savior and at the end I will return to earth to judge the living and the dead. Be faithful to Me every day of your life and I will come to take you to heaven one day. I bless you all.”
Father Melvin