Pagumen 5 — September 10

The Last Day of the Year

Today is Pagumen 5, the very last day of the whole Ethiopian year. Pagumen is a tiny month, the thirteenth one, with only a few days in it. When the sun sets tonight, the old year is finished.

Tomorrow is Meskerem 1, the Ethiopian New Year! It is a happy time to thank God for everything He gave us this year, and to start fresh with kind and good deeds.

Abba Jacob, the Good Bishop of Cairo

Abba Jacob loved God ever since he was young. When he grew up, he went far away to a quiet desert place called Scete to live with the monks, men who spend their days together in simple lives of prayer. He made his home in a little cave and prayed there for many years.

People saw how kind and wise Abba Jacob was, so they chose him to be a bishop, a leader who takes care of many churches, in the big city of Cairo. Even as a busy bishop, he never stopped praying or being gentle.

Abba Jacob loved to teach. He read the Bible to his people and helped them understand the hard parts. He always reminded the priests to do their holy work carefully, with love for God.

When Abba Jacob was old, he grew a little sick. He gathered his people close and told them to keep loving God and to hold tight to the true faith. Then he made the sign of the Cross and went peacefully home to God. Everyone loved him very much.

Take care to do God's holy work gently, and always with love for Him.

Amos the Prophet

Amos was a prophet who lived a very long time ago, hundreds of years before Jesus was born. A prophet is someone God sends to share His messages with people. Amos taught God's people for more than fifty years.

Amos reminded everyone that God does not just want presents and big celebrations. God wants people to be kind and fair and to truly love Him in their hearts. He gently warned the people to turn away from doing wrong and to come back to God.

Amos even spoke about Jesus coming to earth one day, long, long before it happened. He was a brave man who always told the truth, because he loved God and wanted everyone to be close to God too. We thank God for sending prophets like Amos to point us the right way.

Abba Barsuma and the Gentle Serpent

Abba Barsuma grew up in a rich family in Cairo who loved God and welcomed travelers warmly. When his parents went home to God, Barsuma remembered Jesus' words: that loving God is worth far more than all the money in the world.

So Barsuma chose to live very simply, with almost nothing at all. He spent his days praying and reading the Bible, and people knew him as a holy man whose face was always full of joy.

One day Barsuma went to live at the church of Saint Mercurius. A serpent, a big snake, lived in a well there, and everyone was too afraid to go near it. Barsuma knelt down and prayed to Jesus, who gives His friends courage. Then he spoke gently to the snake and told it never to hurt anyone again. The snake curled up quietly at his feet, just the way the lions stayed gentle with Daniel long ago! After that the snake was calm and harmed no one.

Barsuma helped many people who were sad or lonely or in trouble. He comforted them and prayed for them, and God healed and helped them through his kind hands. He spent his whole life loving God, and when he was old he went peacefully to heaven. The angels of light carried him up to the beautiful Garden of Joy, and the people sang and made music as they remembered him.

The Lord gives me light and keeps me safe — whom then shall I be afraid of?— Psalm 27:1

Abba Magder

We also remember a holy man named Abba Magder. We do not know many stories about him, but we know he loved God and is now resting happily with Him in heaven. We say a kind hello to Abba Magder.

And so the old year ends with the memory of good and faithful friends of God. Tomorrow a brand-new year begins. What a wonderful gift!