We are God’s Children

Does your family call you a special name that nobody else calls you? Maybe you have a nickname that only your family knows. Maybe your parents call you a favorite name, or maybe they call you “son” or “daughter.” In our lives, the only person who calls us “son” or “daughter” is our parents.

But in today’s Gospel reading, we hear how Jesus calls a woman “Daughter,” even though they weren’t related! Jesus had been out, healing many people. First, he went to visit a young girl who was very sick. But on the way, a woman who had been very sick for many years came close to the Lord. She touched Him, because she knew that Jesus had special power from God. When Jesus asked her about it, she explained why she had touched Him.

Printable Children’s Word.

HOLY GREAT MARTYR: ST. MENAS OF EGYPT

Would you give up a medal, or something you were very proud of? That’s what our holy Saint Menas did! Saint Menas held a high rank in the Roman army. When the emperors started to fight against Christians, Saint Menas gave up his soldier’s belt, something that he must have been proud of. He wouldn’t serve those evil emperors. Later on, the rulers found him and decided to punish him because Menas bravely declared he followed our one, true God. Saint Menas is called a great martyr, because he was killed for his Christian faith. God saw his bravery and love for the Lord, and He rewarded Menas with an even higher rank—a place in heaven!

So many Christians love Saint Menas because he loves God and because he listens to our prayers. He is a special saint we can pray to if there is a war (because he was in the army, after all). About 60 years ago, during the awful World War 2, the evil German (Nazi) army was about to start a battle in Egypt. They stopped at a place called El Alamein (which means “the place of Menas”). There was an old church to Saint Menas there too. Saint Menas appeared to the German troops that night, just as he looked in the icons. The soldiers were so frightened. After that, the Germans began to lose the war. Saint Menas helped the good guys win the terrible World War 2!