Sunday, October 27, 2013
Duties towards Others
Dear Friends,
A reading from Saint Paul’s First Letter to Timothy (1 Tim 5:1-16):
Do not rebuke an older man, but appeal to him as a father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters with complete purity.
Honor widows who are truly widows. But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let these first learn to perform their religious duty to their own family and to make recompense to their parents, for this is pleasing to God. The real widow, who is all alone, has set her hope on God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day. But the one who is self-indulgent is dead while she lives. Command this, so that they may be irreproachable. And whoever does not provide for relatives and especially family members has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
Let a widow be enrolled if she is not less than sixty years old, married only once, with a reputation for good works, namely, that she has raised children, practiced hospitality, washed the feet of the holy ones, helped those in distress, involved herself in every good work.
But exclude younger widows, for when their sensuality estranges them from Christ, they want to marry and will incur condemnation for breaking their first pledge. And furthermore, they learn to be idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers but gossips and busybodies as well, talking about things that ought not to be mentioned. So I would like younger widows to marry, have children, and manage a home, so as to give the adversary no pretext for maligning us. For some have already turned away to follow Satan. If any woman believer has widowed relatives, she must assist them; the church is not to be burdened, so that it will be able to help those who are truly widows.
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We have arrived at the last Sunday of October and All Saints Day is very near. Let us prepare ourselves to honor the saints, those canonized by the Church and those who are in heaven but not canonized. Ask them to pray for you that you may have the graces you need to follow Jesus.
Below you will find the message of Our Lord, the Son of God, given to Father Melvin. Jesus spoke to him these words,
“Treat all men and women as your brothers and sisters, My brother Melvin and all My brothers and sisters for I have told you to love one another as I love you. There are many widows today and we should have a great love for them. Many live alone and often they are lonely as nobody visits them. Go and visit them and pray with them, and invite them to visit you. Some of these widows are sick and they are suffering in different ways. Help them, especially those who have no relatives to bring them to the doctor or to hospital. If you do this, you will be blessed and you will receive many graces and gifts from Me. Young widows should get married again in Church, so that I can blessed their marriage and they will be My friends. Whether you are married or alone, you are called to follow Me and I will live with you. I love you all.”
Father Melvin