September 24, 2014
Storms and Shipwreck (2)
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles 27, 19 – 26:
A south wind blew gently, and thinking they had attained their objective, they weighed anchor and sailed along close to the cost of Crete. Before long an offshore wind of hurricane force called a “Northeaster” struck. Since the ship was caught up in it and could not head into the wind we gave way and let ourselves be driven. We passed along the sheltered side of an island named Cauda and managed only with difficulty to get the dinghy under control. They hoisted it aboard, then used cables to undergird the ship. Because of their fear that they would run aground on the shoal of Syrtis, they lowered the drift anchor and were carried along in this way. We were being pounded by the storm so violently that the next day they jettisoned some cargo, and on the third day with their own hands they threw even the ship’s tackle overboard. Neither the sun nor the stars were visible for many days, and no small storm raged. Finally, all hope of our surviving was taken away.
When many would no longer eat, Paul stood among them and said, “Men, you should have taken my advice and not have set sail from Crete and you would have avoided this disastrous loss. I urge you now to keep up your courage, not one of you will be lost, only the ship. For last night and angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood by me and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You are destined to stand before Caesar; and behold, for your sake, God has granted safety to all who are sailing with you.’ Therefore, keep up your courage, men; I trust in God that it will turn out as I have been told. We are destined to run aground on some island.”
One day a young man in his early twenties, came to visit me at Our Lady of P.E.I. chapel. He was depressed and he said that he often felt like that. He asked me to pray with him. I prayed and asked the Lord to take away this depression and to give him His love, peace and joy. I also called on Jesus to fill him with the Holy Spirit. After a few days he came to see me again and said that all this depression was gone. He know felt full of joy and peace.
Below you will find the message of Our Lord and Savior given to Father Melvin. Jesus spoke to him these words,
“It is very important to listen to My words My brother Melvin and all My brothers and sisters who believe in Me as your Savior. I had spoken to Saint Paul to tell the people in charge of the ship not to set out because they would be in great danger, but they did not listen to him. They set out and in no time they hit a hurricane and they could no longer control the ship. It was drifting for days and they felt that they would all die in this storm. They threw overboard some of the cargo and at the end they thought they were doomed. Saint Paul spoke to them again saying that an angel had come to talk to him during the night and told him that no one would die but the ship would run aground. He told Saint Paul that he will reach Rome and be able to see Caesar. So at the end this is what happened and everyone was saved.
I protected Saint Paul so he could reach Rome and in so doing I saved all the others who were in the ship. They would not have suffered so much if they had listened to Paul and stayed where they were.
I call on you all to listen to Me and I will protect you from harm. I am your Friend and I want to help you. I love you all.”
Father Melvin
P.S. We had a partly cloudy day today and there was some wind. It was cool too.