Hidar 29 — December 08

The Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ

Every month on this day, the Church remembers the best gift of all: the day God's own Son, Jesus, was born for us! It is like a little Christmas in the middle of the month, so we never forget how much God loves us.

Jesus was born from the holy Virgin Mary, our Lady. She is called the two-fold Virgin, which is a special way of saying she is pure and holy in a way no one else ever was. Long ago, kings and shepherds came to see the new baby King lying in a manger (a box where animals are fed). Angels sang in the sky for joy.

Jesus is true God, and He became a tiny baby so He could live with us, love us, and one day save us. That is why this day is so happy. We can thank God that He came so close to us, small enough to be held in a mother's arms.

When we remember the birth of Jesus, our hearts fill up with peace. God did not stay far away in heaven. He came down to be with His children, and He is still with us today.

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.— Luke 2:14

Saint Peter, the Loving Shepherd of Alexandria

Saint Peter was a kind church father in the great city of Alexandria. He was an archbishop, a leader who takes care of many churches. Before he was even born, his parents prayed and prayed for a child, and God gave them this special boy. When he was seven, they brought him to the church to grow up serving God.

Peter loved God with his whole heart, and God gave him a wonder to see. Once a mother brought her two little boys to be baptized, washed with water to join God's family. But the water turned hard as stone and would not pour! The mother told how, in a storm at sea, she had already baptized her boys herself in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Peter understood that God had already welcomed those children, and he praised Him.

Peter taught everyone to love the one true God. Some powerful people did not like this, and in the end they took his life. He was a martyr. He was not afraid, because he knew he was going home to God. Before he died, he prayed a brave prayer for everyone.

As one is baptism, even so one is the Church.— Saint Peter of Alexandria

The Forty-Seven Thousand Faithful Friends

We also remember a huge group of brave people today: forty-seven thousand of them! That is more people than could fit in many soccer stadiums. Each one loved God so much that they would not stop believing in Him, even when it was very hard and dangerous.

They are called martyrs, because they stayed true to God to the very end. We do not know all their names, but God knows every single one. Not one of them is forgotten by Him.

When we hear about so many people being brave for God all at once, it helps us be brave too. We can ask these faithful friends to pray for us, so that we will always love God with a strong and happy heart.

Saint Clement of Rome and the Boy by the Sea

Saint Clement grew up in a rich and important family in the city of Rome. His teachers taught him many things. One day a storm broke his ship apart at sea, and the waves carried young Clement all the way to the city of Alexandria.

There he met Peter, one of the apostles who had walked with Jesus and now taught about Him. Clement listened, believed, and was baptized. He became Peter's helper and traveled to many cities telling people the good news. Later he became the archbishop of Rome, and many, many people came to love God because of him.

Clement, too, gave his life for Jesus as a martyr, far away near the sea. But God did a beautiful thing afterward. People could visit his resting place under the sea, and each year an opening appeared so they could come and be blessed.

Once some visitors accidentally left a little child behind. A whole year passed! When they came back the next year, they found the child alive and well. The child smiled and said that Saint Clement had given him food and kept him safe the whole time. Everyone was amazed and thanked God, who takes such good care of His little ones.

Saint Clement gave me food to eat and drink, and God kept me safe.— the rescued child