August 18, 2014
Imprisonment at Philippi
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles 16, 16 – 24:
As Paul and his companions were going to the place of prayer, they met a slave girl with an oracular spirit, who used to bring a large profit to her owners through her fortune telling. She began to follow Paul and us, shouting, “These people are slaves of the Most High God, who proclaim to you a way of salvation.” She did this for many days. Paul became annoyed, turned, and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” Then it came out at that moment.
When her owners saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them to the public square before the local authorities. They brought them before the magistrates and said, “These people are Jews and are disturbing our city and are advocating customs that are not lawful for us Romans to adopt or practice. The crowd joined in the attack on them, they threw them into prison and instructed the jailer to guard them securely. When he received these instructions, he put them in the innermost cell and secured their feet to a stake.
I also composed a prayer to Our Lady of Prince Edward Island. Our Lady herself asked me to write this prayer. It is a prayer requesting her to bless the Island and kept it free from the scourge of abortion. It also expresses our longing for the shrine.
Prayer to Our Lady of Prince Edward Island
O Blessed Virgin Mary, your are Our Lady of Prince Edward Island,
Mother of Jesus, our Savior and our Lord,
Mother and Protectrice of us all, we thank you for choosing this Island
to be blessed with a shrine in your honor.
We your children, come to you to ask your help.
Intercede before your Son, dearest Mother,
that all your children who are ill may find health,
that all may repent and obtain forgiveness for their sins,
that all may receive the fullness of grace,
and that all may be delivered from every evil. (to continue tomorrow)
Below you will find the message of Our Lord and Savior given to Father Melvin. Jesus spoke to him these words,
“Come and follow Me My brother Melvin and all My brothers and sisters who love Me and do not be afraid to suffer. You know how I have suffered when I was on earth although I did not commit any sin. I suffered horribly until death on the cross for your salvation. In the reading today you read that Paul and Silas were arrested for driving out an evil spirit from a young woman. They were attacked by the people and all kinds of false accusations were hurled against them. At the end they were put in prison and they told the guard to guard them securely. They were put in the innermost cell and their feet were secured to a stake. Again these friends of mine had done nothing wrong but they had done a good thing by freeing this woman from an evil spirit.
So if you are attacked and brought before a magistrate, do not fear, know that I am there very close to you. I will help you and if you are in prison I will deliver you from that place. I love you all.”
Father Melvin
P.S. It is cloudy today but we did not have any rain. I thank the Lord for all this