Tir 9 — January 17

Abba Abraham and His Kind Family

Today we remember a holy man named Abba Abraham. People called him Abba, which means "father," a loving name for someone close to God. He grew up in a family that loved God and loved people.

Abraham's father was rich, but his heart was soft toward people who were poor and had little to eat. One year a famine came to the land of Egypt, and food grew hard to find anywhere. So Abraham's father gave away all his money and all his grain to feed hungry people.

He was so honest that his neighbors trusted him to keep their grain safe, too. When they came back for it, God filled their hearts with kindness. They knew he had used it to feed the hungry, so they did not ask for it back. Instead they wrote him a friendly note to say thank you.

Abraham's mother loved God just as deeply. Once some unkind people carried her far away to a country called Persia. But God watched over her. In a dream He showed her that she would come home again safely, and she did. How glad she was to be back in her own house! Even toward the people who had hurt her, she wished only good and never harm. That is how gently she loved.

My lord, I do not wish any suffering to come upon him.— Abraham's mother, forgiving the one who had been unkind

Abraham Gives His Life to God

When Abraham grew up, his father went home to God, and his mother loved him more than ever. She hoped he would marry. But Abraham held a different wish in his heart: to give his whole life to praying and serving God.

His mother understood, and she was happy for him. She walked with him out of the city to say goodbye. Then she lifted up her hands to heaven, prayed, and gave her son to God like a gift. "O my Lord," she said, "please accept this gift from me."

Abraham traveled across the desert of Scete (say it: SKEE-tee) until he reached a monastery, a quiet home where people live and pray together. There a wise old monk named Abba John welcomed him like a beloved son. Abraham gave himself to prayer and to doing good, loving God with all his heart.

One day the roof of his little house opened up, and Abraham saw the Lord Jesus coming down to bless him, with angels singing all around. Abraham bowed low, and the Lord blessed him. People told that story for a very long time. An angel of God came to visit Abraham often, too, and shared with him many quiet, beautiful things about heaven.

When Abraham was old, he was sick for a long time, yet he stayed full of faith and peace. At the very end, his friends gave him Holy Communion and told him, "God is inviting you to His great feast!" Then Abraham died gently and went home to God, after a long, happy life of eighty years.

Behold, God inviteth thee to the great marriage-feast.— spoken to Abba Abraham

Three More Faithful Fathers

On this same day we also remember three other holy fathers who loved God: George, Nosmes, and Diskres (also called Dioscurus). They were faithful friends of God, and the Church gives thanks for them. We ask these kind fathers to pray for us all.