Monday, April 15, 2013
Stephen’s teachings (continued)
Dear Friends,
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles (7:51-60):
[Stephen said to the members of the Sanhedrin,] “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always oppose the holy Spirit; you are just like your ancestors. Which of the prophets did your ancestors not persecute? They put to death those who foretold the coming of the righteous one, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become. You received the law as transmitted by angels, but you did not observe it.”
When they heard this, they were infuriated, and they ground their teeth at him. But he, filled with the holy Spirit, looked up intently to heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” But they cried out in a loud voice, covered their ears, and rushed upon him together. They threw him out of the city, and began to stone him. The witnesses laid down their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul. As they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell to his knees and cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them”; and when he said this, he fell asleep.
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Yesterday morning everything was white from the snow that fell during the night. It looked like winter all over again, but today the sun will come out and the little sprinkling of snow will all disappear.
Below you will find the message of Our Lord, the Son of God, given to Father Melvin. Jesus spoke to him these words,
“Do not hate the person who tells you the truth, My brother Melvin and all My brothers and sisters, for you are sinners and some have to teach you to bring you back to the right path that I showed you. Saint Stephen taught the members of the Sanhedrin that what they did to Me was murder. They had killed Me, but now I was sitting at the right hand of My Father in heaven. Of course the members of the Sanhedrin refused to accept the teaching of Saint Stephen and instead they grabbed him and brought him out of the city of Jerusalem and stoned him to death. They committed another murder. Saint Stephen being a great saint prayed these great words, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’ He did just what I did on the cross; he forgave all those who killed him.
“You too My brothers and sisters are attacked at time in an unjust way. Do not hate these people but pray for them that they may be converted and come to follow Me. What is so important is the conversion of all those who do not believe in Me so they can be saved. I came into the world to save you all and how I wish that you would turn to me and follow Me. I bless you all.”
Father Melvin