Monday, April 09, 2012
The Appearance to the Disciples
Dear Friends,
Please read the passage below from the Gospel of St. John (20:19-31):
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.” Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name.
I will leave tomorrow and so there will be no message until I return. I will be back April 28 in the morning. Please pray that this trip will go well.
(Below you will find the message from Our Lord and Redeemer given to Father Melvin. Jesus spoke to him these words,)
“I am fully alive and come to believe in Me, My brother Melvin and all My brothers and sisters living in every country of the world. Yes, I arose from the dead and I appeared to the Apostles. There was only one missing when I appeared to them the first time. The one missing was Thomas. After I showed them My hands and My side, they came to believe although some did doubt. Thomas, however, when he was told by the Apostles that they had seen Me, would not believe. He first wanted to place his hand in the wounds of the nail and into My side. When I came a second time Thomas was present and I called him to put his hand in the wounds of My hands and in My side and then he believed saying, ‘My Lord and My God.’
The first time I came, I gave them the power through the Holy Spirit to absolve sins or to refuse to absolve sins. You know that this power has been handed down through the Apostles to the Bishops and priests of today. I call you all to believe in My Resurrection as the Apostles did. I am truly the Savior of the world. I bless you all.”
Father Melvin