In The Name of The Father, The Son And The Holy Spirit, one God Amen
The fourth Sunday of the Great fast (Abiy Tsom) is called “Metsagu”, which is a Ge’ez word meaning Infirmity or Paralytic. “Metsagu” named after the song of Saint Yared, for the day from the hymnbook known as “Tsome Digua” (Hymn of Fast). On this date, we remember all the lepers, deaf, blind and sick people healed by Eyesus Kristos. Especially, the man who had been infirm for 38 years, healed at the pool of Bathesda.
John 5:1-15
“After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, ‘having five porches.’ In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had. Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?” The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.” Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath. The Jews, therefore, said to him who was cured, “It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.” He answered them, “He who made me well said to me, ‘Take up your bed and walk.’” Then they asked him, “Who is the Man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place. Afterward, Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.” The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well."
This man was paralyzed for 38 years and suffered from loneliness; as evidenced by his response that, “I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up by the Angel.” Eyesus Kristos ended this man’s sorrow but warned him, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.” This person’s sickness was caused by his sin; and Our Lord Eyesus Kristos knows what this person is and what evil he is capable of doing. Sadly, on the Holy Thursday when the high priests seized Eyesus Kristos, this man was standing with them and slapped Our Lord Eyesus Kristos, let glory be to his compassion!
John 18:23
And when He had said these things, one of the officers who stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, “Do you answer the high priest like that?” Jesus answered him, “If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why do you strike me?”
The fourth week of the Great lent also teaches us that Eyesus Kristos came to this world not only to teach concerning the kingdom of God, but also to heal physical sickness, as well as those possessed with spiritual diseases. Our Lord Eyesus Kristos reveals to us that His mercy and forgiveness are available to all of us through His question “Do you want to be made well?” For those of us who answer yes His divine healing power is available through faith and the sacrament of Penance.
Saint Baselios “Save me from the wounds of my sin by the wounds you have put on the cross”
Psalms 41:1-3
“Blessed is he who considers the poor; The Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive, and he will be blessed on the earth; You will not deliver him to the will of his enemies. The Lord will strengthen him on his bed of illness; You will sustain him on his sickbed.”
NOTE: According Ethiopian Orthodox Church Archangel Rufa’el is the angel responsible for administering to the wounds of man; he watches over the sick. His name means "God Is the Healer" and he used to come down and stir the waters of Bathesda.
The departure of Abune Gebre Menfes Qidus (አቡነ ገብረ መንፈስ ቅዱስ ) from this world [Megabit 5 /March 14]
Abune Gebre Menfes Qidus is called the “Star of the desert”
Born on January 7 / Tahisas 29 – his date of birth and conception coincide with the day of Our Lord Eyesus Kristos
He lived 300 years in desert of Egypt
He went from Egypt to Ethiopia by the order of God
He stayed at Ziquala / ዝቋላ Lake for 100 years praying for Ethiopia and received a covenant from God
He brought dead lions back to life
He met King Lalibela and promised him that he would live in mount Ziquala and not leave Ethiopia
He lived for 562 years on earth and departed from this world on the mount of Ziquala on Megabit 5 /March 14; his body rests in “Medre Kebed / ምድረ ከብድ”
May the prayer of Abune Gebre Menfes Qidus be upon us!
February 23, 1888, Saint Giorgis (George)-The Battle of Adwa
ሊቀ ሰማዕት ቅዱስ ጊዮርጊስ - የአድዋ ጦርነት
Saint Giorgis (George)-The Battle of Adwa On February 23, 1888, a major battle took place in Adwa between the Ethiopian army, headed by King Menelik II and Italian invaders. Throughout the war of Adwa the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church played a key role from beginning to end. The Ethiopian soldiers took the Saint Giorgis Tabot with them and God granted them to victory on the field of battle. Both Ethiopian and Italian forces witnessed “...a brave fighter horse standing and stomping to the right and left of the field.” In fact, a few days before the Adwa Victory, the treasurer of Dima at the St. Giorgis Gedam, was praying in front of the Holy Tabot and had a vision. In the vision, St. Giorgis appeared to him, seated on a white horse and told him, “I have to go now, King Menelik is waiting for me to help him with his war.”
God of Our Fathers, give us this day victories over evil spirits, sickness, hate, poverty, selfishness and sin.
Thy Word we have read, let God allow us to treasure it in our hearts and grant us to see the light of his resurrection in peace, Amen! የአነበብነውን ቃል በልቦናችን ያሳድርልን አሜን!
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