Fasts – Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahdo Church Sunday School Department

The Nativity Fast

Brethren! We have become less fortunate when it comes to having good Religious and Patristic Fathers who can lead us to the right path. They are facing their own trail and impediments within this devious world. We are leaving in a universe filled with evil, deceptiveness, treachery, fornication and all the sinful acts disgraced by the Lord. As the days go by, we are sinking into the satanic storm and for this, we seek to have a shelter from all the deviousness and weapons in defeating the enemy. Our sturdy weapons are prayer, fasting, prostration and good deeds as we have read and learned from the fight of righteous and saints in scripted in their hagiographies.

The Month of Pagumen

The world countries have a number of twelve months in a year, grouped into the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter. These occasions have their own limited features embracing climatic natural as warmth, coldness and rain for the growth of seed and fruit. Most are known to have a cold weather almost for the entire twelve month of the year. Unique to her nature though, our country Ethiopia is bestowed a calm, warm and sunny season of thirteen month of sunshine.

In different to the last month Pagumen, Holy Church commemorates it for various reasons. The word Pagumen means “additional, extra.” It is contains five days except in the ending of the year of Luke and the beginning of year John, which is six days accord the calendar of the church

The Good Dove

Most honored from any other, white and heavenly illustrating purity and chastity, she flies in grace. Preliminary from her birth, the creator embraced her with heavenly grace and acquiescent, lived surrounded by the heavenly soldiers, risen high above, flying, departed from her family.

“Then they will fast” (Matthew 9:15)

The Love of the Lord unconditional and bestowed dearly to them, it kept them yarning and fretful after His death, unable to believe His rise until their eyes witnessed His appearance, hands touched His pierced body and yet again ate with Him.

The Lord’s promise was what made their strength and brought grace upon them. “Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.” (Luke 24:49)

On the Day of Pentecost, the disciples were gifted of the Holy Spirit that empowered them spiritual grace and endowing them seventy-one surplus languages. For this, they exited to fulfill the Lord’s order, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28:19)

This tremendous work of God was not to be done without payer and fast. The Lord has previously said, “When the bridegroom will be taken away from them, … then they will fast.” (Matthew 9:15) For this truth, the apostles embraced by the Holy Spirit and the Love of Christ, fasted on the Month of Sene.

Who is faithful servant?

Foremost, service is bestowed for the Almighty Lord; God, Who is the creator of all. Primarily who served Him by praising “Holy Holy Holy” were Angles in the heavens. Then followed the first man kind Adam, where he lived in praising and prayer in heaven.

Mount of Olive- The Second Coming of the Lord

Yet, during His preaching the gospel, the Lord has warned about the second coming of Him for Judgement at the end of the age, through the disciples on mount of olive, accord their query. The apostle Saint Mark states it in his gospel as follows…..

The Impotent Man

There was once an impotent man during the apostasy age, embedded for 38 years at Bethsaida pool, in Jerusalem nearby the temple. His luck was so unfortunate that disabled him to enter the pool for cure whilst the Angel of God stirred it up once a while. (John 5:4)

Lord and Savior Jesus Christ saw the impotent 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.” Lord Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” Immediately the man was made well, took up his bed and walked… (John 5:6-9)

Synagogue

“I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath. Now when He had departed from there, He went into their synagogue.” (Matthew 12:7-9)

Holy: The Second Week of The Great Lent

The Divine Attributes of God are all holy and thus He told us, His creatures, “Be holy; for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:16) This is His Own Divine Wealth but not given to Him by any. Holy Scriptures have become witness for this. As He is holy in His attribute, He is praised like, “Holy Holy Holy.” (Joshua 6:1, 3, 40:25, Revelation 15:4, 1 Samuel 2:2-3).

The Great Lent

The fast that Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ fasted is known to be “The Great Lent.” The salvation done for all human beings is through His marvelous wisdom. The Lord’s Covenant vowed for His First Mankind and his heir has been made through The Holy Son becoming man and wearing flesh of humans.