Meskerem 25 — October 05

Jonah and the Great Fish

Today we remember Jonah, a kind prophet who lived long ago. A prophet is someone God chooses to carry special messages to people. When Jonah was a boy, the prophet Elijah once helped his family, and Jonah grew up to follow Elijah and learn from him.

One day God said to Jonah, "Go to the big city of Nineveh, and tell the people there to stop doing wrong." But Jonah was afraid, and he did not want to go. So he climbed onto a ship sailing the other way, trying to hide from God. But no one can ever hide from God, who is everywhere and loves us all.

Out on the sea, a great storm came, and the waves grew huge. To calm the sea, Jonah was let down into the water. Right away God sent a giant fish that swallowed him whole and kept him safe inside! For three days and three nights Jonah stayed alive in the fish. Then the fish gently brought him to the shore, and Jonah was completely fine. This was a sign of how Jesus would later rise from the grave after three days.

Now Jonah obeyed. He went to Nineveh and said, "In three days this city will be turned upside down!" The people listened and were sorry for the wrong they had done. They prayed and asked God to forgive them. And because God is so kind, He forgave them and did not harm the city at all.

God taught Jonah one more lesson. He grew a leafy plant to shade Jonah from the hot sun, and Jonah loved it. But the next day the plant withered, and Jonah was sad. God said: if Jonah could care so much about one little plant, how much more does God care about a whole city full of people who needed His mercy! Jonah went home happy that God is so loving.

I am the Merciful and the Compassionate God, who shows mercy upon everyone who turns from their wrongs and is sorry.— what God said to Jonah

Jonah stayed safe in the belly of the great fish, just as Jesus would rest three days in the grave before He rose again.

Barbarah and Juliana, Two Brave Friends

Today we also remember two faithful friends named Barbarah and Juliana. They loved God with all their hearts and stayed true to Him their whole lives.

There is a special book that tells the story of their lives. Once, God watched over that holy book so carefully that no one could take it away. Barbarah and Juliana are remembered as friends of God, brave and kind, who showed everyone how good it is to trust in Him.

Friends Full of God's Word

We also remember today the holy people who are described as being "full of the Law and the Gospel." That means they filled their hearts with God's words from the Bible.

The Law and the Gospel are parts of the Holy Bible that teach us how to love God and love each other. These saints read God's word, kept it close, and lived by it every single day. We can do the same, a little at a time.

More Faithful Saints

Today the Church also remembers some other holy friends of God: Roka (also called Foka), John, Andrew, Peter, and Antonius.

Each of them loved God and tried to follow Him with all their heart. When we say their names today, we thank God for all the good people who came before us, and we ask them to pray for us too.