Sunday, December 18, 2011
Pilgrimage to the Holy Land: Dec. 3, 2011
Dear Friends,
At Nazareth we got up at 5:30 a.m., washed and ate breakfast, and at 7:30 a.m. we were on the bus for the Sea of Galilee. We arrived there at 8:30 a.m. and boarded a good size boat and left the harbour for the middle of the lake (the Sea of Galilee is a fresh water lake). We spent about one hour on the boat reading all the biblical stories of Jesus that took place on the Sea of Galilee. We read the story of Jesus walking on the water and what happened to St. Peter who asked Jesus if he could walk on the water to meet Him. Jesus told him to come towards Him. St. Peter walked on the water for a moment but when the wind hit him, he got afraid and began to sink. Jesus caught him and brought him back to the boat. We also read about the incident of the high winds and the fear of the Apostles who thought they might all drown. They woke up Jesus and He calmed the wind with a word. There is also the story of the miraculous catch of fish.
After going around the Sea of Galilee by boat, we came back to the wharf and disembarked. We then traveled to the place where Jesus appointed Peer the head of the Church. We went to the Mount of Beatitudes and there I celebrated Holy Mass with the group. The Gospel reading was about the Beatitudes that Jesus gave us.
From there we went to a restaurant for a great meal. We ate St. Peter’s fish… The last place we visited was Capernaum, the village where St. Peter lived and where Jesus went to stay when He left Nazareth. We visited the remains of the Jewish Synagogue and saw what is left of Peter’s house and the other houses of this little town. The whole town was abandoned years after the resurrection of Jesus. From there we left for our hotel in Nazareth and arrived there close to 6:00 p.m. We had supper at 6:30 p.m.
The Message of Our Blessed Mother given on December 3, 2011
“Melvin My son, you spent another day in the Holy Land, where My Son, Jesus, traveled when He was on earth. You have been to places where Jesus performed many miracles like the Sea of Galilee and you also went to the place where He multiplied the bread and fish and where He cured many people of various sicknesses. He also drove out many evil spirits from those who were possessed. All these miracles show that My Son, Jesus, has great power, which no one on earth has. This great power shows that He is God, the Messiah (Savior) that God the Father had foretold long ago that He would be born on earth. He is the greatest gift of the Father to you, the people living on earth.
I call on the Jews to recognize that truly Jesus, My Son, is the Messiah they have been waiting for over the centuries. It is time that they finally acknowledge that they did wrong to reject Him. Let them acknowledge their fault and accept Him as their Savior as a good number have done already.
I also call the Muslims to listen to Me. They honor Me as the greatest women even to live on earth — for I am the Virgin Mary, holy from birth, who gave birth to their Lord and Savior. I ask them all to accept My Son, Jesus, as the Son of God and their only Savior. May they come and join the Church He found and they will be blessed.
I also call on those who do not belong to My Son’s Church which He founded on St. Peter. You, non-Catholics, are a scandal to the world. You reject some of His teachings. Read Chapter 6 of St. John’s Gospel and see that My Son is truly present in the Eucharist and come all of you and be members of the Holy Catholic Church, the only Church founded by Your Savior. May all the Catholics give good example to all of their faith and love for My Son, Jesus, the Son of God, who loves them all. I love you all and I pray for you.”
Father Melvin
P.S. I thank you all for your prayers for my brother Hector. The funeral was on Friday morning. May the Lord bless you all.