My beloved brethren, friends of the BLESS USA program:

The peace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ embrace us all.

+ We started our previous newsletter, my beloved, by contemplating on Psalm 41, and how the divine inspiration blesses those who show understanding and sympathy toward the needy and poor. When we show understanding toward the Lord's brothers, we reach out to assist our Lord Himself (Matt 25:40). The divine inspiration blesses those who have merciful hearts, and as mentioned, the Lord grants them seven rewards here on earth. The first reward is:

+ Many times, my brethren, we face difficult times. We go through days where we meet unusual events that may be critical. This is what the divine inspiration refers to as a "Times of Trouble." For those who show understanding and sympathy toward the needy and poor, they will be rewarded by our Lord Himself, Who will rescue them in those troublesome times. Surely you have all profoundly experienced how the Lord rescues us in times of trouble, when were are sympathetic, merciful, and understanding toward the needy and poor.

+ We have many examples of people whom the Lord rescued during their times of trouble because of their compassion and mercy.

+ Our teacher, David the Prophet, who wrote this beautiful psalm, faced times of trouble. One day he was shepherding his father's sheep, when a lion and a bear appeared. The bear took a lamb out of the flock, so David went after it, killed it, and saved the lamb from the bear's mouth (I Sam 17:34,35). When the lion rose against David, he bowed before God, and shouted saying, "O my Strength, hasten to help me. Save me from the lion's mouth" (Ps. 22:19,21). "Arise, O LORD; save me" (Ps. 3:17). "Deliver me, O my God, For you are my hope, O Lord GOD" (Ps. 71:4,5). Then David caught the lion by its beard, struck and killed it (I Sam 17:36).

+ What is this, O David? How did you, a young boy, kill the bear and catch the mighty lion by its beard and kill it? Who would believe, and who would even imagine, a young boy killing a bear and then a lion? David, Israel's wonderful chanter, answers and says: It is my God who rescued and saved me with His strength. It is my God who, in times of trouble, rescues those who show understanding and sympathy towards the needy and poor. It is my God who rescued and saved me with His strength, so I called upon Him saying, "You shall surround me with songs of deliverance" (Ps. 32:7); "I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest" (Ps. 55:8).

+ My beloved, we will discuss more examples of those who have merciful hearts, and show how God saved them in times of trouble.

+ Finally, my beloved brethren, I wish to thank your merciful hearts, and your great love. May God reward you with the incorruptible instead of the corruptible, and with the eternal instead of the worldly.