Miyazya 12 — April 20

Abba Alexander, the Bishop God Chose

Long ago there was a good and gentle man named Abba Alexander. He was a bishop, a leader who takes care of churches and the people in them. He came all the way to the holy city of Jerusalem to pray and to visit the special places where Jesus once walked.

Alexander only meant to visit and then go home. But God had a different plan! One day the people of Jerusalem heard a voice from heaven. The voice told them to go to the city gate, and to choose the very first person who walked in to be their new bishop. They went to the gate, and the first person they saw was Abba Alexander!

At first Alexander said, "I already take care of my own people far away. I cannot leave them." But when he learned about the voice from heaven, he understood that this was what God wanted. So he kindly wrote a letter home, asking his old friends not to be sad and to be happy for him.

Alexander became a loving shepherd for the people of Jerusalem, watching over them for many years. Some unkind rulers tried to stop him from teaching about Jesus, and they put him in prison. But Alexander was never afraid, because he trusted God with his whole heart. He stayed faithful to the very end, and then God welcomed him home to heaven, where the saints live with God forever.

Get ye out to the gate, and the first man who cometh in, set him over you as bishop.— the voice from heaven

The Feast of Michael the Archangel

Today is a happy feast day! Every month, on the twelfth day, we celebrate the great Archangel Michael, one of God's mightiest angels. Michael is God's helper and a friend to everyone on land and on sea.

Here is the story we remember today. A prophet named Jeremiah loved God and told people the words God gave him to share. A king named Zedekiah did not like this, so he put Jeremiah in a dark, narrow prison.

But God did not forget Jeremiah! God sent the Archangel Michael to set him free. A kind helper named Abimelek led Jeremiah out of the prison into the fresh air. Michael even brought Jeremiah figs and wine to eat and drink, so he would have his strength again. Jeremiah was so thankful that he blessed his rescuers right away.

Michael gave Jeremiah a gentle promise too. He would be kept safe and would not have to see the sad and frightening days that were coming. And it all came true, just as the angel said.

Because God's angel brought such joy and rescue, the teachers of the Church decided we should celebrate Michael on the twelfth day of every single month. We thank God for sending such a strong and kind angel to watch over us all.

Salutation to Michael, the angel of God, and helper of all who are on land and sea, like whom there is no other.

Saint Anthony of Tamaw and Saint Eusanius

Today we also remember two holy friends of God. One was Saint Anthony, a bishop in a city called Tamaw. The other was Saint Eusanius (we can also say his name as Ausanius).

A bishop like Saint Anthony spends his life caring for God's people, teaching them, and praying for them, just like a kind shepherd watching over his sheep. We ask both of these good saints to pray for us today.

Saint Gaius and Saint Esdras

Last of all, we remember two more friends of God, Saint Gaius and Saint Esdras.

Something very special happened to Saint Esdras. One day Saint John the Baptist appeared to him! John was the holy man who told everyone that Jesus was coming, and who later baptized Jesus in the river. What a joyful surprise that must have been. We thank God for all his saints, who love him and pray for us.