Meskerem 19 — September 29

Saint Gregory, the Brave Teacher of Armenia

Today we remember Saint Gregory, who taught people about Jesus in a faraway land called Armenia. He was an archbishop, a leader who takes care of many churches.

In those days the king, named Dertades (you can say it DER-ta-dees), did not yet know the true God. He wanted Gregory to bow down to pretend gods made of stone. But Gregory loved the one true God, and he gently said no. The king grew angry and treated Gregory very unkindly. He even lowered him into a deep, dark pit, and there Gregory stayed brave for a long, long time. Fifteen whole years!

But God did not forget him. Near the king's house lived a kind old woman. One night, in a dream, God told her, "Bake bread, and lower it down into the pit where the holy man is." So every day she baked bread and carefully let it down to Gregory, and God kept him alive all those years.

Later the poor king became very sick and sad. His sister had a dream that told her, "Only Gregory can make the king well again." So they hurried to the pit and lifted Gregory out into the sunshine. Gregory prayed, and God made the king and everyone in his house well and happy! After that, the king and his whole country came to love Jesus. Gregory stayed faithful to God through all that suffering, and though he was never killed, we honor him as a martyr who never shed his blood.

Bake bread, and lower it down into the pit where the holy man is.

The Feast of the Holy Cross

Today is also a happy feast of the holy Cross of our Lord Jesus. Long ago the Cross had been lost, hidden away for many years. When good people finally found it again, they were so glad that they celebrated for three whole days, singing and praising God!

We celebrate too, because the Cross reminds us of how much Jesus loves us. On the Cross, Jesus saved us and made us His own. So the Cross is not a sad thing for us. It is a sign of joy and of God's great love.

We even call the Cross the "Tree of Life," and we greet it with thankful hearts, remembering that Jesus is always near to keep us safe.

Salutation to the Tree of Life, the bed of the Son of Mary!

Kirkos, the Friend of the Animals in the Desert

We also remember a holy man named Kirkos (you can say it KEER-kos). He wanted to spend his whole life praying to God, so he went to live all alone high up on a tall mountain.

Kirkos lived in a cave where wild animals lived too, and he trusted God to give him food. And God did! Every third day God sent a gentle mother buffalo up the mountain so Kirkos could drink her milk. He lived this way, praying and trusting God, for ten years.

Sometimes scary thoughts and evil spirits tried to frighten Kirkos and make him stop praying. But whenever that happened, Kirkos simply made the sign of the Cross, and they all ran away. Nothing bad can stand against God. Once, when something dangerous came near him in the night, Kirkos prayed, and God sent an angel to keep him safe.

When Kirkos grew old, kind church fathers came to visit him. As he gently went home to be with God, they saw a beautiful, shining light all around him. Then they buried him in his quiet cave, and they knew he was happy forever with the God he loved so much.