December 01, 2014
Paul’s Rights as an Apostle
A reading from Saint Paul’s Letter to the Corinthians 9, 1 – 12:
Am I not free? Am I not an Apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord? Although I may not be an Apostle for others, certainly I am for you, for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
My defense against those who would pass judgment on me is this. Do we not have the right to eat and drink? Do we not have the right to take along a Christian wife, as do the rest of the Apostles, and the brothers of the Lord and Kephas? Or is it only myself and Barnabas who do not have the right not to work? Who ever serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating its produce? Or who shepherds a flock without using some of the milk from the flock? Am I saying this on human authority, or does not the law also speak of these things? It is written in the law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.” Is God concerned about oxen, or is he not really speaking for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope, and the thresher in hope of receiving a share. If we have sown spiritual seed for you, it is a great thing that we reap a material harvest from you? If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we still more?
Today Sunday we began the Season of Advent. It begins about four weeks before Christmas. It is a time to prepare ourselves for the coming of Our Savior into the world. In this Sunday readings we heard that Our Lord Jesus will return on earth at the end of the world. He will come to judge the living and the dead. He told us that when He was earth before His death and resurrection. This is His second coming on earth. So now let us go to His first coming and let us take these four weeks and prepare ourselves for the great event of the birth of the Son of God among us.
Below you will find the message of Our Lord and Savior given to Father Melvin. He spoke to him these words,
“You know My brother Melvin and all My brothers and sisters who believe in Me that when I was on earth I selected twelve Apostles and among them I selected Peter to be the one to lead them. The Apostles were sent into the world to preach the Good News to the people of the nations and to establish My Church. Of course they are human beings and they need to eat and drink and to sleep at night. As Saint Paul wrote in his letter to the Corinthians that the Apostles have the right to receive what is necessary so that they can continue their life in the world. Those whom he has converted by his preaching must take care of him by giving him food and drink and find him a place to sleep. This of course is a right for all those who work for My Church. It is sufficient to give them what is necessary to live so that they can continue to work for My Church. That is why in every parish they pass the basket at every Sunday Mass for this money goes for the upkeep of the Church and for the priests who work there. I call you all to be generous to help your pastors who gave their lives for you. I bless you all.”
Father Melvin
P.S. It was mostly cloudy all day but we did not any snow or rain.