September 20, 2014
King Agrippa Hears Paul
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles 25, 1 – 23:
Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You may now speak on your own behalf.” So Paul stretch out his hand and began his defense. “I count myself fortunate, King Agrippa, that I am to defend myself before you today against all the charges made against me by the Jews, especially since you are an expert in all the Jewish customs and controversies. And therefore I beg you to listen patiently. My manner of living from my youth, a life spent from the beginning among my people and in Jerusalem, all the Jews know. They have known about me from the start, if they are willing to testify, that I have lived my life as a Pharisee, the strictest party of our religion. But now I am standing trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our ancestors. Our twelve tribes hope to attain to that promise as they fervently worship God day and night; and on account of this hope I am accused by Jews, O King. Why is it thought unbelievable among you that God raises the dead? I myself once thought that I had to do many things against the name of Jesus the Nazorean, and I did so in Jerusalem. I imprisoned many of the holy ones with the authorization I received from the chief priests, and when they were to be put to death I cast my vote against them. Many times in synagogue after synagogue, I punished them in an attempt to force them to blaspheme; I was so enraged against them that I pursued them even to foreign cities.
On one such occasion I was traveling to Damascus with the authorization and commission of the chief priests. At midday, along the way, O king, I saw a light from the sky, brighter than the sun, shining around me and my traveling companions. We all fell to the ground and I heard a voice saying to me in Hebrew, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goad.’ And I said, ‘Who are you , sir?’ And the Lord replied, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. Get up now, and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness of what you have seen of me and what you will be shown. I shall deliver you from this people and from the Gentiles to whom I sent you, to open their eyes that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may obtain forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been consecrated by faith in me.’
And so, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision. On the contrary, first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem and throughout the whole country of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I preached the need to repent and turn to God, and to do works given evidence of repentance. That is why the Jews seized me when I was in the temple and tried to kill me. But I have enjoyed God’s help to this very day, and so I stand here testifying to small and great alike, saying nothing different from what the prophets and Moses foretold, that the Messiah must suffer and that, as the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles.”
Some time ago a woman came to visit me who had a very sore knee. She had difficulty to walk and she could hardly sleep at night because of the pain. She came to me to ask for prayers of healing. I prayed over her and placed my hands on her head and I knew Jesus was at work and that He would help her. After a short time I saw this lady again and she told me that from the day I prayed over her, she never had any more pain in her knee. She walked without trouble and she is so grateful. Thank you My Lord and Savior.
Below you will find the message of Our Dearest Mother Mary She gave to Father Melvin. She spoke to him these words,
“I bless you My son Melvin and all My sons and daughters who pray every day and have great love for My Son Jesus and for Me. One holy man was Saint Paul when he was on earth. After his conversion, he worked for the rest of his life for My Son Jesus. He was a great preacher who converted many people although he suffered much at the hands of the Jews. It is true that he was against My Son and against His Church but one day Jesus, My Son, appeared to him and spoke to him. He was converted on that day and believed in His Savior with all his heart. He had been a persecutor of the Church and then he became a builder of the Church. He had been appointed by My Son to build up the Church in many countries of the Gentiles. Now he is on his way to Rome where he will work for some years but at the end he will be martyred. He is now here in heaven with us and he still prays regularly for the Church on earth. I am praying too that the people will leave their evil ways and come to follow My Son Jesus and become members of His Church. I bless you all and I call you all to open your hearts to My Son so you will receive all the graces and gifts that you need. I love you all.”
Father Melvin
P.S. We had a cold day on Friday but it was sunny for most of the day.