Great Lent - Abiy Tsom - ዐብይ ጾም Sixth Sunday - Gebr Her - ገብርኄር
The Parable of the Good Servant
The Sixth Sunday of the Great Fast (Abiy Tsom) is called Gebr Her which means “Good Servant” in Geez. On this day we remember the parable of the good servant Our Lord Eyesus Kristos taught to illustrate his message.
Matthew 25:14-30
“For the kingdom of heaven is as a man traveling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several abilities; and straightway took his journey. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. And likewise, he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.
After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him, that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth”
The Good Servant parable highlights how our faithfulness and hard work will be rewarded. God gives to everyone talents and potentials. We are responsible to use these free gifts for God’s purposes. The Day of the Lord is coming soon and we will approach Our Lord and Savior Eyesus Kristos one by one and will have to answer for how well we used the gifts we received. The third servant who received one gift and buried it was judged and condemned because he did nothing with what he was given.
Are we using our talents and potentials as Our Lord told us?
Matthew 25:14-30
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Meskel: The Finding of the True Cross [Megabit 10 / March 19 th]
The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church commemorates the finding of the True Cross by Queen Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine, in the 4th century. Queen Helena made a trip to Jerusalem to find the Holy Cross of the Lord Eyesus Kristos. It was a challenge because she could find no trace of the place and no one knew the exact location.
A wise old man named Kiriakos advised the queen saying, “gather wood and pile it up and put incense on it and burn it while praying. The smoke of the fire will show you where to dig and you will find the Holy Cross.” On Meskerem 16 / September 26, she followed the instructions she was told; the incense smoke rose upward and bowed down indicating the location where the Holy Cross was buried. Queen Helena ordered her soldiers to start digging on that same day. After seven months On Megabit 10/ March 19 the Cross was found. This date occurs during the Great Lenten Fast, because of this this holiday is celebrated to the fullest later on September 17.
St. Yared has praised this event with the verses, “The Wooden Cross which was buried at Golgotha by the Jews is found today” and he also sung "The Meskel/Cross has illuminated and decorated the sky with stars and showed everything like the sun!”
1 Corinthians 1:18
“For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.”
May Medhanealem Grant us to See The Light of His Resurrection in Peace Amen!