Tir 21 — January 29

Our Lady Mary Goes Home to Heaven

Today is a very special feast day. It is the day our holy Lady Mary, the mother of Jesus, finished her life on earth and went home to heaven. We call her the God-bearer, because she is the one who carried baby Jesus and gave Him to the world.

Mary loved to pray. Every day she would pray near the place where Jesus had risen from the grave. One day the Holy Spirit, God who comforts us and whispers true things in our hearts, gently told her that soon she would leave this world and come to be with God.

Mary prayed and asked Jesus to bring her friends to be with her. So God carried the apostles, Jesus' closest helpers, from many faraway places, riding on bright clouds to come and stand beside her. They said to her, "Rejoice! God was born of you."

Then Jesus Himself came, with thousands and thousands of angels all around Him. He comforted His mother and told her about the rest and joy that were waiting for her. While He was there, many beautiful miracles happened. People who could not see could see again, people who could not walk stood up and walked, and the sick were made well as soon as they came near.

Mary asked Jesus one last loving favor: that He would help anyone who ever prayed in her name. Jesus promised He would. Then He gently took her soul, wrapped it in light, and carried it up to heaven. Her friends were sad to say goodbye, but they were happy too, because she was home with God.

Whosoever is in trouble and shall pray to Thee in my name, deliver him from all his trouble.— the prayer of our Lady Mary

Henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.— Luke 1:48

The Body Carried to a Beautiful Garden

After Mary went to heaven, the apostles carefully prepared her body and carried it to a place called Gethsemane to lay it to rest, just as Jesus had asked them to.

One man tried to push the bier where she lay, but God's angel stopped him. The man was sorry right away. He prayed to Mary with tears and believed in Jesus, and through the apostles' prayers he was made completely well again. He had learned that Mary truly is the mother of our Lord.

Three days later, God sent shining angels to carry Mary's body to the Garden of Delight, and they laid it under the Tree of Life. One apostle named Thomas was arriving on a cloud and saw the angels carrying her. He got to say a loving goodbye to her.

When the other apostles opened the grave, her body was gone. The Holy Spirit told them that God did not want her body to rest in the ground. God promised that one day, on a feast in another month called Nahase, He would show her to them again. And He kept His promise.

Saint Hilaria, the Hidden Princess

Hilaria was a princess, the daughter of an emperor named Zeno who loved God and loved the Church. Even as a girl, Hilaria wanted to give her whole life to praying and serving God.

So she quietly left the palace, dressed simply, and traveled all the way to the desert of Egypt to live with the holy monks who prayed there. A kind old monk named Abba Bamu helped her and kept her secret. She prayed so faithfully that everyone thought she was a wise young monk.

Back home, Hilaria's sister became very sick, and no doctor could help her. Her father sent the sister to the holy monks in the desert to pray for her. The monks asked Hilaria to pray for the sick girl, and in a few days the girl was well again. Hilaria knew it was her own little sister, but the sister did not know it was Hilaria.

Later Hilaria visited her parents. She made them promise to let her return to the desert, and then she told them her secret: "I am your daughter Hilaria." They were overjoyed and amazed. She kept praying in the desert for many more years, loved by God all her life.

Saint Gregory, Who Saw Heaven at the Altar

Saint Gregory was a holy bishop, watching over many churches, and the brother of the famous Saint Basil. Gregory was wise and good, and he loved God with all his heart.

When Gregory prayed at the holy altar, he would see the Holy Spirit coming down from heaven, and he felt close to the angels. He served God faithfully as a bishop for thirty-three years.

One day, while Gregory was praying at the altar, our Lady Mary appeared to him and gently said, "This day you shall come with me." Gregory finished his prayers, asked his brother Basil to remind everyone to keep loving God, and then he peacefully fell asleep and went home to heaven. His friends laid him to rest with songs and prayers.

More Friends of God We Remember Today

Today we also remember some other brave and faithful saints. We remember Nicolaus, and a church leader named Abba Victor the bishop, who stayed close to God.

We remember Paul, who was a governor, and Silas, who was a priest. They loved God so much that they stayed faithful to Him no matter what, and they are now safe and happy with God in heaven. We also remember a faithful believer named Bakhayla Maryam, whose name means "the help of Mary."

And we remember Jeremiah, one of God's prophets long ago. God chose him to speak His messages, and Jeremiah bravely reminded people to worship the one true God. God's power was with him all his days, and his feast is still celebrated with joy.

We remember Saint John the evangelist, the apostle Jesus loved, whom Mary promised would go to heaven gently and without fear. And we remember a faithful saint named Kawestos. All of these friends of God teach us to be brave and to keep loving God every single day.