Tir 11 — January 19

Timkat — Jesus Is Baptized!

Today is one of the very happiest days of the whole year. It is the Great Feast of Timkat (say it TIM-kat). On this day we remember when our Lord Jesus Christ went down into the Jordan River to be baptized, washed in holy water as a sign of belonging to God.

A holy man named John the Baptist stood at the river, calling people to turn back to God. When Jesus came to him, John baptized Him. As Jesus came up out of the water, the sky opened. The Holy Spirit came down gently, looking like a soft white dove, and rested on Jesus. Then the voice of God the Father spoke from heaven for everyone to hear.

This is why the feast is also called Epiphany (say it eh-PIFF-an-ee), a word that means "God appears." On this day God showed Himself as the Holy Trinity all at once: the Father speaking from heaven, the Son standing in the river, and the Holy Spirit resting like a dove. For thirty years Jesus had lived quietly. Now He stepped out into the world.

John pointed to Jesus and called Him the Lamb of God, the One who takes away the wrong things people do. That is why this is a great feast for all Christians! On Timkat we bless water and sprinkle it joyfully, remembering Jesus' own baptism and thanking God for washing our hearts clean.

This is My Son Whom I love, with Whom I am well pleased. Hear Him.— The voice of God the Father, at Jesus' baptism

This is the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world.— John the Baptist

Saint Anatolius, the Brave Soldier

Saint Anatolius (say it an-a-TOH-lee-us) came from a faraway land called Persia. He was so strong and wise that he became a leader of the soldiers of Rome for many years.

But Anatolius loved God most of all. When a cruel king turned away from Jesus, Anatolius chose God's kingdom in heaven over fame and riches on earth. He was not afraid to say out loud that he loved Christ.

Wicked people hurt him because he would not stop trusting Jesus, and he gave his life rather than give up his faith. That is what makes him a martyr. Through all of it God sent an angel to comfort him, so Anatolius was never alone. He went home to live with God forever, wearing a shining crown of joy.

Abba John, the Generous Archbishop

Abba John was the seventy-fourth archbishop of the great city of Alexandria, which meant he watched over many churches and their people. Before that, he was a merchant who sailed across the sea to trade in faraway India.

Abba John had so much gold you could hardly count it. But he gave every bit of it away to people who were poor, and to churches and monasteries. He cared for God's people for twenty-eight years and never let anyone pay for his meals. He loved giving so much that, by the end of his life, he had given away everything.

Abba John died on this very feast of the Baptism, the same happy day we celebrate Timkat. What a beautiful day to go home to God!

Saint Justus and Saint Fayos

Today we also remember two holy friends of God, Saint Justus and Saint Fayos. They loved the Lord and served Him faithfully. We thank God for them and ask them to pray for us.

Abba Wakris, Who Won the Battle with Prayer

Abba Wakris (say it WAK-ris) grew up with a famous holy teacher named Basil the Great, who made him a priest. When he was young, Wakris almost made a big mistake. But one night God gave him a dream. In it a kind angel, who looked just like an old friend, gently helped him choose the right thing instead.

When Wakris woke up, he knew God was calling him. He gave away his fancy clothes, put on simple ones, and went to live in the quiet desert to pray. Many holy people went off alone like that to grow close to God. Life there was hard, but whenever he felt weak or troubled, our Lord came and made him strong again.

God filled Wakris with the Holy Spirit. Angels brought him bread from heaven, and he could even see things that were hidden from others. He wrote three beautiful talks about loving God, and God answered his prayers in ways that astonished people. Once a church door was locked and no one could find the key. Wakris made the sign of the Cross, and the door opened all by itself.

Wakris also stood up for the true faith, answering hard questions with words from the Bible. After a long, faithful life, he grew very old and went peacefully home to the God he loved so much.