Yekatit 16 — February 23

Kidane Mihret — the Covenant of Mercy

Today is one of the happiest feasts of the whole year! It is called Kidane Mihret, which means the Covenant of Mercy. A covenant is a loving promise that is never broken, and mercy means kindness and forgiveness. So Kidane Mihret is God's loving promise to be kind.

Here is the beautiful story. Our Lady Mary, the mother of Jesus, loved everyone very much. She wanted God to help all the people who try to be good. So she stood at a holy place and prayed to her Son, Jesus, asking Him a special favor for everyone who loves her and does kind things.

Our Lady Mary asked Him to be kind to anyone who remembers her with love, who builds a church, who gives clothes to someone cold, who visits the sick, who feeds a hungry person, or who cheers up someone who is sad. Even giving a cup of cold water counts!

And Jesus answered His mother with a wonderful promise. He said it would be exactly as she asked, and that He would never break His word to her. This is the Covenant of Mercy: Jesus' promise to be kind to all who do good in His mother's name.

So today we celebrate by being kind, just as Mary asked. When we share, help, and love others, God remembers His happy promise.

It shall be unto thee even as thou sayest, and I will fulfill for thee all thy petition.— Jesus' promise to His mother

Saint Elisabeth, Mother of John the Baptist

We also remember a good and holy woman today named Saint Elisabeth. She was a cousin of our Lady Mary, so the two of them were family and friends.

Elisabeth and her husband Zachariah were both kind and faithful, and they loved God with all their hearts. For a long time they had no children, yet they kept praying and never gave up hope. When they were quite old, God gave them a baby boy. His name was John, and he grew up to be John the Baptist, the one who helped get the world ready for Jesus.

Something special happened before John was even born. When Mary came to visit, baby John jumped for joy inside Elisabeth. Even before he could talk, he was glad that Jesus was near. Elisabeth said the sweetest words about that joyful day.

Elisabeth lived a good and gentle life, and she died in peace, close to God. We say, Salutation to Elisabeth!

The child leaped in my womb with joy and gladness when our Lady Mary came to me.— Saint Elisabeth