July 25, 2014
The Vision of Peter
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles 10, 9 – 23:
The next day, while they were on their way and nearing the city, Peter went up to the roof terrace to pray at about noontime. He was hungry and wished to eat, and while they were making preparations he fell into a trance. He saw heaven opened and something resembling a large sheet coming down, lowered to the ground by its four corners. In it were all the earth’s four-legged animals and reptiles and the birds of the sky. A voice said to him, “Get up, Peter. Slaughter and eat.” But Peter said, “Certainly not, sir. For never have I eaten anything profane an unclean.” The voice spoke to him again, a second time, “What God has made clean, you are not to call profane.” This happened three times, and then the object was taken up into the sky.
While Peter was in doubt about the meaning of the vision he had seen, the men sent by Cornelius asked for Simon’s home and arrived at the entrance. They called out inquiring whether Simon, who is called Peter, was staying there. As Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, “There are three men here looking for you. So get up, go downstairs, and accompany them without hesitation, because I have sent them.” Then Peter went down to the men and said, “I am the one you are looking for. What is the reason for your being here?” They answered, “Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, respected by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to summon you to his house and to hear what you have to say.” So he invited them in and showed them hospitality.
One day a few years ago, I got this inspiration to pray for a person who was in a car accident. I immediately began to pray that this person be protected and not hurt at all. The next day I got a phone call from my brother and he told me that he had been in a car accident the day before. The car left the road and it overturned a few times. He told me that it was miraculous that he did not get hurt. He came out of that accident without a scratch. I asked him the time of the accident and I found out that it was at the very moment that I was asked to pray for him. Through my prayers, he avoided all injury although his car was a complete wreck. Praise the Lord.
Below you will find the message of Our Lord and Savior given to Father Melvin. Jesus spoke to him these words,
“My brother Melvin and all My brothers and sisters come and listen attentively to the vision that Saint Peter had. I am the one who gave him that vision. He saw a huge sheet come down from heaven and in it he saw all kinds of animals even those that Jews would never eat as they are profane and unclean. Yet he heard my voice say to him that he should kill and eat. He refused but I told him that what God has made clean, he is not to call profane. He saw this vision three times. What does this vision mean? I was telling Saint Peter that what God created is good and must not be rejected. As a Jew, Peter did not like to eat with non-Jews because they could eat something that is forbidden to the Jews. I was telling him that he can eat any food that the people put before him. So all the Christians are free from the rules of the Jews and they should not have any fear to eat even the meat that is forbidden by the Jews. So today the Christians follow what I have told them. I have freed you from all this strange laws made by human beings. I bless you all.”
Father Melvin
P.S. We had plenty of rain during the forenoon but it stopped in the afternoon although we did not see much of the sun. It should be sunny tomorrow Friday.