Yekatit 8 — February 15

Baby Jesus Comes to the Temple

When Jesus was a tiny baby, only forty days old, His mother Saint Mary and good Joseph carried Him to the temple, the big holy house where people pray to God. They came to thank God and to follow God's special rules, just like all the families of long ago did.

Waiting at the temple was an old, holy man named Simeon (say it SIM-ee-on). God had made a wonderful promise to Simeon: he would not die until he had seen the Savior with his own eyes. Simeon had waited and waited for many, many years.

When Saint Mary handed him the baby, Simeon lifted Jesus up high in his arms and held Him close. His long wait was over! He was so happy and so thankful that he sang a beautiful prayer to God. He knew this little baby was the Savior the whole world had been waiting for.

Simeon gently told Saint Mary that one day her heart would be very sad, because following Jesus is not always easy. But there was great hope, too: through Jesus, many people would be lifted up and saved. After this happy day, holy Simeon went home to God in peace, just as God had promised him.

Lord, now You may let Your servant go in peace, for my eyes have seen Your salvation.— Luke 2:29

Hannah, the Thankful Old Lady

At the very same temple lived a kind old lady named Hannah (say it HAN-uh). She was a prophetess, a woman who hears special messages from God. Hannah was very, very old, and she loved God with all her heart.

Hannah almost never left the temple. Every day and every night she prayed to God, and sometimes she skipped a meal so she could pray instead, which is called fasting. She trusted that God would keep His promises.

On the day that Saint Mary and Joseph brought baby Jesus to the temple, Hannah saw Him too. She stood up and thanked God out loud! Then she happily told everyone who was waiting and hoping that the Savior had finally come. After her long, faithful life, Hannah went home to God.

Lady Ammata Krestos and Her Two Helpers

Ammata Krestos (say it AM-mah-tah KRES-tos) was a kind lady who lived in a great city called Constantinople. When she was still young, she became a widow, which means her husband had died. That made her very sad.

Ammata Krestos decided to give her whole life to God. She gave all her money to people who were poor and hungry. Then, with two helpers who loved her, she quietly went away to live in a secret hiding place among the high hills, so she could pray to God in peace.

Now here is the wonderful part! God took loving care of them. Every single day, little birds flew down carrying branches full of fruit and gave the fruit to the three women, so they would always have enough to eat. God never forgot them for even one day.

Many years later, some monks were surprised to see birds carrying fruit away into the hills. Monks are people who live a quiet life of prayer. They followed a bird and found the three holy women, safe and praying. The women asked the monks to bring a priest so they could receive the Holy Communion of Jesus. The very next day, the three women prayed and gently went home to God together, and the monks buried them with beautiful songs.

Every day the birds brought fruit to the three women, because God was taking care of them.

Abba Elias of the Desert

Abba Elias (say it EH-lee-as) was a wise old monk who lived far away in the quiet desert of Scete (say it SKEET). He prayed all the time and did so many good and loving things that everyone respected him.

One day a good emperor, who is a king of many lands, wanted to meet a truly holy monk who could comfort him with kind words. So the other monks sent Abba Elias. They said he was strong in prayer, like a great prophet named Elias from the Bible.

But Abba Elias was very humble. Being humble means you do not brag, even when you have done great things. The emperor wanted to give him a big pile of money, but Abba Elias smiled and said no thank you. He did not want money. He only wanted God. Then he walked all the way back to his little home in the desert and lived for God until he went home to heaven in peace.