Meskerem 7 — September 17

Abba Dioscoros, Who Would Not Change the Truth

Abba Dioscoros (say it: dye-OSS-koh-ross) was an archbishop in the great city of Alexandria, a leader who watched over many churches. He loved Jesus very much, and he loved telling the truth about Him.

Long ago, many church leaders gathered for a big meeting to talk about what we believe about Jesus. Some people had written down ideas that were not quite right. Abba Dioscoros stood up bravely and taught the true thing: that Jesus is fully God and fully one. He reminded everyone of the wedding in the town of Cana, where Jesus turned plain water into sweet wine. The same Jesus who came as a man worked that miracle, because He is God.

Some powerful people were upset that Abba Dioscoros would not change his words. They were unkind to him and sent him far away to a little island called Gagra. But God did not leave him alone. God worked wonderful signs through Abba Dioscoros, and even the people who had been mean to him began to honor him and thank God.

Abba Dioscoros stayed faithful his whole life. When he grew old, God called him home to heaven, and he received a beautiful crown for staying true to God.

I will say with my tongue whatever God has given me to say.— Abba Dioscoros

Abba Sawiros, the Rich Man Who Gave It All to God

Abba Sawiros (say it: sah-WEE-ross) was a bishop in a city called Gabla, a shepherd who watched over God's people. When he was young, he studied very hard and learned the whole Bible by heart in just a few years!

When his parents died, they left him a huge amount of money. Sawiros could have kept it all for himself. Instead, he gave it to God by helping others. He built a big house where travelers, strangers, and people who were poor could come and rest and eat. He planted gardens to grow food for them, too.

God gave Sawiros a kind and gentle heart, and He worked many wonders through him. Sawiros helped a sick girl get well, and her whole family was so happy. Another time, when worried people had lost their way in the dark for three days, Sawiros prayed and helped them, and they went home in peace.

Sawiros taught so warmly that many people who did not yet know Jesus came to love Him and were baptized, even a wise teacher named Sektor and his whole household. Sawiros also wrote a kind letter to two emperors, reminding them that people who belong to Jesus can trust God to protect them.

Abba Sawiros lived to be one hundred years old! When the time came, an angel came to take him from his hard work into God's rest. He told his people to keep loving God always, and then he went home to his Maker.

He wanted to give everything to Christ, so that he might receive it back a hundred times over.

A Brave Family Who Loved Jesus

Today we remember a whole family who loved Jesus together: a mother named Rapika (also called Rebecca) and her five children, Agathon, Peter, John, Ammon, and Ammona. They came from a town in Upper Egypt.

The eldest brother, Agathon, was an important man, and everyone loved him. One day Jesus appeared to the family and gently told them that staying faithful to Him would be very hard, but that He would be with them the whole way. The family was not sad. They felt brave and glad.

Early the next morning, they gave away everything they owned to people who were poor. Their mother, Rapika, kept cheering her children on to be strong and patient, the way a loving mom does. They were hurt for loving Jesus, and they stayed faithful to the very end. They became martyrs, holding on to God even when it cost them their lives. They were not afraid, because they knew they were going home to Him.

God took good care of them even afterward. He sent an angel to a kind, rich man and asked him to gather their bodies and keep them safe. The man did, and later a beautiful church was built for them, where God did many wonders to show how much He loved them.

Saint Fasiladas and His Companions

On this day we also remember a soldier-saint named Fasiladas (say it: fah-sih-LAH-das) and many friends who loved Jesus along with him.

They stayed faithful to God together, all the way to the end of their lives. It can be a little easier to be brave when you have friends standing beside you, and Fasiladas had many. They each received a crown of joy from God in heaven.

More Saints We Remember

Today we also lovingly remember a few more of God's friends: Das, Gagra, Nawla, who was a bishop of the city of Antioch, and Peter, a monk who lived a quiet life of prayer.

We may not know long stories about each of them, but God knows every one of them by name. They all loved Him and served Him, and we ask them to pray for us.

The Birthday of Saint Hanna

What a happy thing to remember today: the birth of Saint Hanna! Hanna was the mother of Saint Mary, and that makes her the grandmother of our Lord Jesus.

For a long time, Hanna had no children, and she prayed and prayed. God heard her, and one day a little girl was born to her. Her name was Mary, and she would one day become the mother of Jesus. So this is a birthday worth celebrating with joy, because God's good plans were already growing, long before anyone could see them.