August 25, 2014
Paul’s Speech at the Areopagus
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles 17, 22 – 34:
Then Paul stood up at the Areopagus and said, “You Athenians, I see that in every respect you are very religious. For as I walked around looking carefully at your shrines, I even discovered an altar inscribed, ‘To an Unknown God.’ What therefore you unknowingly worship, I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and all that is in it, the Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in sanctuaries made by human hands, nor is he served by human hands because he needs nothing. Rather it is he who gives to everyone life and breath and everything. He made from one the whole human race, to dwell on the entire surface of the earth, and he fixed the ordered seasons and the boundaries of their regions, so that people might seek God, even perhaps grope for him and find him, though indeed he is not far from any one of us. For ‘in him we live and move and have our being,’ as even some of your poets have said, ‘For we too are his offspring.’ Since therefore we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the divinity is like an image fashioned from gold, silver, or stone by human art and imagination. God has overlooked the times of ignorance, but now he demands that all people everywhere repent because he has established a day on which he will judge the world with justice through a man he has appointed, and he has provided confirmation for all by raising him from the dead.”
When they heard about resurrection of the dead, some began to scoff, but others said, “We should like to hear you on this some other time.” And so Paul left them. But some did join him, and became believers. Among them wee Dionysius, a member of the Court of the Areopagus, a woman names Damaris, and others with them.
I offered a healing Mass in one place and there was a woman there who had a horrible crippling disease. She came forward and I prayed over her. The next day she came back and told me that she was healed overnight. She had not driven her car for years so that day, she took her car out and drove it for over one hour on the streets. The Lord had made a wonderful miracle and she was so happy. Thank you Lord.
Below you will find the message of Our Lord and Savior given to Father Melvin. Jesus spoke to him these words, “Whenever you have to do something in My name, My brother Melvin and all My brothers and sisters who believe in Me, call on the Holy Spirit that He might give you the gifts you need to carry out the work you have to do. In the reading today, we find Saint Paul giving a conference at the Areopagus in Athens in Greece. There were no Christians present there as they had never heard of Me, Jesus. So Paul talked to them about My work in the world. He told them that I will return to judge the people of the world. He also said that I had died and after three days I was resurrected from the dead. He said that I have all power for I am divine. He called on the people to repent of all their sins.
When he talked about the resurrection some were not ready to hear about that but they asked him to come back another day. However, some of the people followed Saint Paul and became My followers.
Saint Paul spoke in the power of the Holy Spirit and so when you have to speak or visit somebody to talk to them, always ask first for the help of the Holy Spirit. He will enlighten you and give you the words you should say. In that way the words will sink in his or her heart and they will become believers. I want that all the people of the world would come to believe in Me and follow Me. I bless you all.”
Father Melvin
P.S. We had another beautiful day on Sunday and it was warm in the afternoon.