Yekatit 17 — February 24

Saint Minas, the Quiet Monk Who Was Brave

Today we remember Saint Minas (say it MEE-nas). Long, long ago he was born in a town called Akhmim in Egypt. His mother and father loved God. They were farmers, and they grew their food right out of the ground.

When Minas grew up, he gave his whole life to God and became a monk. That meant living quietly with other people who loved God, in a home for prayer called a monastery. Minas prayed and prayed. He often went without a meal, because he would rather think about God than about food.

Later he moved to a different monastery, and there he stayed for twenty-seven years. Think how long that is! He hardly went out at all. Day after day he prayed and tried to please God in everything he did.

One day Minas heard people saying that God did not have a Son. That made him very sad, because he knew the truth: Jesus really is the Son of God. So he was brave. He went to a leader who was in charge of the soldiers and gently told him, "Jesus is the Light who comes from the Light, and the true God who comes from the true God." He reminded everyone of God's promise in the Bible.

The leader did not want to hear it, and he treated Minas cruelly. Minas would not stop loving Jesus or telling the truth about him, and so he gave his life for God. We call such a faithful friend a martyr. Kind believers buried him with gentle, loving hands. Minas was not afraid, because he knew he was going home to God.

Jesus is the Light who comes from the Light, the true God who comes from the true God.— Saint Minas

Whoever believes in the Son has everlasting life.— John 3:36

Moses, the Leader on the Mountain

We also remember Moses today, one of the great fathers of the Bible. He is the one God chose to lead His people out of a land where they were kept as slaves. God worked through Moses to set them free, and Moses could talk with God the way you talk with a friend.

When Moses was very old, he climbed a high mountain called Mount Nebo. From the top he could see the good land God had promised to give His people. On this day, up on that mountain, Moses finished his long life and went home to God.

All his life, Moses trusted God and helped people. From him we can learn to listen to God and to be a good helper too.