Tikimt 24 — November 03

Abba Hilarius, the Wise Monk

Today we remember a holy man named Abba Hilarius (you can say it HILL-ah-ree-us). He grew up in a city called Gaza, far away and long ago. His mother and father did not yet know about the one true God, but they loved him very much and sent him to school.

Hilarius loved to learn! He read so many books and grew so wise that he knew more than almost everyone around him. He still wanted to learn more, so he traveled to a great city called Alexandria, where the cleverest teachers lived.

While he was there, something changed in his heart. He began to want to know about God and about Jesus. He found the holy books of the Church and read them carefully. A kind church leader named Abba Iskander helped him understand the hard parts, and then baptized him with holy water to show that he now belonged to God.

Hilarius decided to give his whole life to God, and he became a monk. He even went to learn from the famous Saint Anthony, who taught him how to pray and live well.

When his parents died, Hilarius took the money they left him and gave it all to people who were poor and hungry. Then he lived simply in the desert, praying day and night and eating only the plants that grew there. God gave him a gift to know things before they happened, and through him God did many signs.

Hilarius lived to be eighty years old, and he pleased God his whole life. Even great teachers like Saint John Chrysostom (CHRIS-oh-stom) wrote about how good he was.

He gave all his money to people who were poor, because he loved God more than gold.

Sabla Mariyam, Who Loved to Pray

Today we also remember a holy woman named Sabla Mariyam. She was famous for two things that show a heart full of love for God.

First, she loved to fast. To fast is to go without food for a while so you can spend more time praying and thinking about God. Second, she was humble and never thought she was better than anyone else. People remembered her gentle, faithful life for a long, long time.

Paul, Longinus, and Zaina, the Brave Friends

Today the Church remembers three brave friends: Saint Paul, his companion Longinus (lon-JY-nus), and a holy woman named Zaina.

They loved Jesus so much that they would not stop believing in Him, even when others tried to make them afraid. They held on to God right to the very end of their lives, giving up everything rather than letting Him go. We call brave people like this martyrs.

We do not need to be sad for them, because they were not afraid. They knew that staying close to God meant they were going home to live with Him forever in heaven. Their courage helps us be brave too.

They stayed faithful to God, because they knew they were going home to live with Him forever.

Remembering Eusia and Constantine

Last of all, today we also remember two more of God's faithful friends, named Eusia (you can say it OW-see-ah) and Constantine (CON-stan-teen).

We thank God for their lives and ask these holy people to pray for us, just as we ask a kind friend to pray for us when we need help.