Hamle 17 — July 24

Jonah Comes Out of the Big Fish

Today we remember a happy moment from the Bible. A man named Jonah (you say it JOH-nah) had been inside a giant fish for three whole days and nights. A big fish had swallowed him after he tried to run away from a job God gave him.

But God did not forget Jonah. Inside the dark belly of the fish, Jonah prayed and prayed and told God he was sorry. And God heard him! On this day, the great fish brought Jonah safely back to dry land, and Jonah walked out free.

After that, Jonah did the job God asked him to do. He went to a big city and told the people to turn back to God, and they listened. This story reminds us that God always hears us when we pray, and He loves to give us a fresh start.

Jonah prayed to God from inside the fish, and God heard him and set him free.— from the Book of Jonah

Euphemia, the Kind and Brave Woman

Euphemia (you say it yoo-FEE-mee-ah) was a holy woman who loved God with all her heart. One day she saw some good men being treated unkindly because they believed in Jesus. Her heart filled with love for them, and it made her very sad to see them hurt.

Euphemia was brave. She spoke up and asked the ruler to be kind and gentle to the men. She was not afraid to stand up for what is right, because her love for God was stronger than her fear.

The ruler did not like that she believed in Jesus, and he was unkind to her too. But God protected Euphemia. Even when she was placed near a fire, she was not hurt at all. God kept her completely safe.

At the end, Euphemia stood up in front of everyone, said a prayer, and made the sign of the Cross to bless the people. Then she gently gave her life to God and went home to heaven. She stayed faithful no matter what, and that is why we call her a martyr. We say: Salutation to Euphemia, which means we greet her with love and respect.

Her heart filled with love, because she loved God and cared for people who were suffering.

More Faithful Friends of God

On this day we also remember a whole group of holy people who loved God very much. Their names are Abba Bedel, Zacharias the priest, Aulenius, Marat the bishop, Isidore, Ayna Sahay, Neron, Gida, 'Awa, and Aa.

There was a happy discovery too: people found the bones of a faithful man named Justus and kept them safely, because they wanted to remember how much he loved God.

We may not know every story about these saints, but we know the most important thing. They all stayed close to God and trusted Him, and we ask each of them to pray for us.

Abba Andreas of Debre Libanos

We also remember a church father named Abba Andreas (you say it an-DRAY-as). He led a famous monastery called Debre Libanos, a quiet home where people pray together and serve God.

When Abba Andreas was just a little child, his family taught him about God. He grew up loving to learn and loving to pray. As he got older, he gave his whole life to God, living calmly and praying every day as a monk.

Abba Andreas worked hard for God and was a kind, wise teacher. He became the leader of his monastery and helped many people grow closer to God. He was the eighth great father to sit in that important seat of honor.

He wrote down many wise and helpful sayings, and people still read them today to learn how to live a good and holy life. When his work on earth was finished, God called him home to heaven. We say: Salutation to Andreas, greeting him with love.