Nehase 19 — August 25

Saint Macarius the Great Comes Home

Today we remember a happy journey. Long, long ago there lived a holy man named Abba Macarius the Great. We call him Abba, which means "father," because he was a holy old monk who gave his whole life to quiet prayer. Macarius lived in a sandy place called the desert of Scete, where many monks loved God together.

After Macarius died and went home to God, some people took his body far away and built a beautiful church over it in their own city, because they loved him very much. His body stayed there for a long, long time, more than four hundred years!

Then a kind church leader named Abba Michael had a wish in his heart. He prayed, "I wish that Saint Macarius could come back to rest with us in his own monastery." So Abba Michael and some older monks set out on a journey to bring Macarius home.

At first the people of the city did not want to let the saint go, and they stood guard so the monks could not take him. The monks felt sad and tired, and they fell asleep. That night God helped in a gentle way: Saint Macarius appeared to the city's leader in a dream and said, "Please let me go home with my sons to my own place." When morning came, the leader felt full of wonder. He happily gave the monks the body of Macarius, and they received it with great joy.

They carried Macarius by ship and then across the desert. Halfway home they wanted to rest, but Abba Michael said they would only stop where God showed them. Then the camel carrying Macarius knelt down and would not get up, gently turning its head this way and that. The monks knew that was the very spot God had chosen for the saint to rest, and they thanked God with all their hearts.

When at last they reached the monastery, all the monks came out singing, carrying the Cross and lighted lamps, and welcomed Macarius home with hymns and great honor. God blessed that day with healings and answered prayers. Everyone was so glad that their dear father had come home.

Please let me go home with my sons to my own place.— Saint Macarius, in the leader's dream

All the monks came out singing, carrying the Cross and lighted lamps, and welcomed him home.

A Greeting to Phinehas

We also send a loving greeting to a man named Finhanes, whose name we also say as Phinehas. He is remembered as a faithful friend of God who did what was right. We thank God for all His good people, then and now, and we ask them to pray for us.