NEBAB #44: Pagume and The New Year
NEBAB #43
The Orthodox Tewahedo Magazine
PAGUME AND THE NEW YEAR
The Spiritual Education Unit
Ethiopian Orthodox Church
Archdiocese of the Caribbean and Latin America
In this issue:
1. The 13th Month
2. The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand
3. Faith and works
4. “Ask Abba/Kes”
5. A Miracle of the Holy Virgin Mary
6. Children’s corner
7.ይበል ግዕዝ
8. Orthodox Q&A
The 13th Month
Thanks be to our merciful God for bringing us through this past year in safety and health, and preserving us in His holy church! Let us pray that He bring us to this time again next year according to His will! As God has given us seasons, days and years (Genesis 1:14) and promised us that the times and seasons would not cease until the end of the world (Gen 8:22), the end of the year reminds us of the greatness of His creation and His faithfulness in keeping His promises. In the Ethiopian Orthodox Church we have been given a special gift: a 13-month calendar by which we mark the times and during which we offer worship to our God, honour to the Virgin Mother of God and all the saints, and hear the word of God being read according to the day and hour.
This final month is known as an intercalary month (a month that functions as the transition from one year to another) and an epagomenal month (consisting of extra/leftover days after the months of the year have been counted), and it is from the Greek word epagomenal that we get the name of the month of Pagume (some say Pagumen). It is known as 'the small month', being 5 days long or 6 in a leap year, and has special significance for us Christians.
1. It reminds us of the end of the world and the return of our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ. The lectionary- the calendar of Bible readings for the times of the year- has been focused on the rainy season for the past few months, and now culminates in the end of the year, shortly after which the season of harvest starts. The harvest is a type of the end of the world (Matthew 13:39), and so its imminent approach calls us to prepare for Christ's second coming and the last judgement.
2. It calls us to repent. Our preparation is none other than this- to live a life of repentance to fight and flee from sin, and to seek unity with God through our Lord Jesus Christ by the grace of the Holy Spirit.
3. It calls us to prepare. Those of us who see the next year by the will of God greet it with thanksgiving and in it find an opportunity to be better. A new year is a good opportunity to start over, to leave behind bad behaviours and take up new good ones. The few days of Pagume give us time to set our affairs in order so that when the new year comes we can hit the ground running.
May God strengthen us for the fight in the coming year!
The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand
The cover of this issue features St John the Baptist, flying his "Repent ye" banner- this is no accident. St John the Baptist is commemorated both on the 30th day of every month (i.e. just before Pagume starts) and at the beginning of the year- for an important reason. In our church, the years are dedicated to the four evangelists, Matthew Mark Luke and John. As we come to the end of the year of St Matthew, we prepare to welcome the year of St Mark.
The years are associated with the evangelists, literally, those who bring the evangelion (Greek) wengel (Ge'ez) evangel (Old English) gospel (English), and so the start of each year represents the coming of the gospel into the world.
St John is the forerunner of the coming of the gospel, as we hear in the liturgy, the last thing said before the gospel is read is the message of John- "Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand". In our church's Biblical interpretation, 'the kingdom of heaven' often refers to the gospel, and we are called to repent because simply hearing the message of the gospel compels us to live a life of righteousness and flee from sin, and therefore the gospel condemns us if we hear it and do not follow it.
Are we true disciples of John? Do we take his "Repent ye" message seriously? When the "One who was before him" comes and he points us to Him, are we ready to follow Him as Andrew or Stephen did? When John said "He must increase, but I must decrease", did we, being his disciples, follow his example- decreasing so that Christ may increase in us? Let us decrease in this coming year, let our own desires diminishes and our passions pass away. Let us decrease and make room in ourselves for Christ to increase.
Let us repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Faith and Works:
I must decrease
We understand simply that we must decrease so Christ can increase in us, and the coming of the New Year represents Christ coming to preach in the Galilee of our hearts, and fast in the spiritual desert of our souls. Let us begin the year by focusing on practical ways we can decrease ourselves.
Media must decrease- We are constantly bombarded by video, audio, notifications, vibrations, lights, colours, and all manner of sensory input designed to capture our attention. This constant information overload makes us self-centred and leads to a 'dopamine-driven spirituality', which is all about us and the whims of our flesh. By decreasing the media we consume every day, we make more space for our Lord Jesus Christ in our lives.
Decreasing does not mean eliminating. We can decrease by a lot or by a little. We can decrease quickly or slowly. But we must decrease. For this year, pick a time, 5 minutes, 15 minutes, 1 hour, etc. that you will devote to decreasing. During this time, be totally without media, looking at the glory of creation, listening to the wind in the trees and the song of the birds. Don't look at or touch your phone, take out your earphones, and just decrease.
"When the mouth (and ears, eyes, thumbs) is (are) silent, the heart speaks. When the heart is silent, God speaks." - St Isaac the Syrian
Ask Abba/Kes
"How do I fight sin?"
St Isaac the Syrian teaches us that when temptation comes, we should 'at first flee'. When it comes again, 'the second time also flee'. But 'at the third, arise and fight.' In other words, first be patient, then try to be patient, then stand and fight. Our Lord taught us this when he rebuked satan twice and on the third time cast him away, scattering him like dust in the wind (Matt 4:10).
BIBLE QUIZ!
Find two verses, one from the Old Testament and one from the New, which teach a Christian how to approach temptation.
A Miracle of the Holy Virgin Mary
There was a very rich man who had a most beautiful wife. She was wonderfully lovely, and God had endowed her with bodily beauty as well as a sweet voice; no woman in the city compared with her for loveliness.
A certain rich knight came to that city. He was of noble family and possessed a goodly appearance; he was altogether lovable.
As soon as he saw that woman, the knight’s heart was transfixed with love for her.
He did not show this openly, nor did he tell anyone about it. But he treated her intimate friends graciously.
He also made presents to her husband, yielded to his wishes, and showed him great affection by frequently inviting him to his table and providing him with [rich] clothing and horses.
When the knight knew that the heart of the woman’s husband was turned to him, he said to him one day in a joking manner, “My dear friend, I wish that you, your lady wife, and I might eat together. I wish her to set me in her heart, just as you yourself have done in your affection for me.”
The husband said, “I agree, for my house is your house, and we are your servants.”
And so, the rich man invited the knight to his house. He prepared much meat and drink, and he commanded his wife to treat him with honor.
The knight took a splendid gift of very great value for the wife. When he went to her, she welcomed him with a joyful face and a gracious mind. She embraced him and seated him next to her. The knight then presented his gift to her, and she rejoiced and thanked him for his gracious kindness.
After they had eaten, [the husband] rose and departed, and the knight and the wife were left alone together.
He said to her, “I am dying of love for you,” and he told her that he would give her many gifts and everything that she could wish for.
When the wife heard his words, she became furious and said, “You should never have said such a thing as this, and it shall never happen, even if you were to give me everything in the world.”
The knight rose and departed, sorrowful in heart.
But he did not cease to visit her. He continued to give her gifts, and he persisted with her until she came to love him and agreed to do what he wished.
It came to pass that she made a plan to go out to him from her house after all the household had gone to sleep.
She went out at the agreed-upon time, but she could not find him, because he lived at a great distance from that place.
When she failed to find him, she became angry and went back to her house.
There she meditated and said, “I will go out again, and perhaps I shall find him,” and she went out.
At the time of her [second] departure, she found a book in which were written the Hours of Our Lady Mary. She took it in her hand and held it in the light of the moon.
When she arrived at the place where they had agreed [to meet], she began to recite the prayer for the dead.
The knight was watching her, and when he wanted to go to her, he saw many dead people. He was afraid and stood stock still.
When the woman had finished the prayer for the dead, she began to recite the prayer of Our Lady Mary.
The dead people disappeared, and [in their place] the man saw a multitude of virgins, like stars, coming down from heaven.
Among them was Our Lady Mary, who was shining more brightly than the sun and moon, and upon whose head stood a crown of glory set with gems of great beauty.
None could look upon her by reason of the great splendor that was upon her.
The knight threw himself upon his face when he saw this. Then he looked again, and behold, he saw the virgins placing a throne that shone like lightning. Our Lady Mary sat on the throne, and they lit two lamps, which they set on each side of her.
Our Lady Mary was watching the woman and wondering how she could pray.
When she was finishing her reading and was coming to the end of her prayer, all the virgins who were with our Lady prayed with the woman.
Having finished the prayer, she rose. Our Lady Mary went up into heaven with great glory, and the woman remained there by herself.
The knight came to her and bowed low at her feet, saying, “My dear woman, you are blessed! Pray to God for me, for I have seen a most marvelous and astonishing sight.”
He told her how he had seen the dead people and Our Lady Mary. Then he said, “Pray for me. As for me, I wish to serve this Lady for all the days of my life.”
He kissed and embraced the woman, then left her.
The woman returned to her house terrified and trembling because of what she had seen.
The knight sold all his possessions and gave [the proceeds] to the poor.
He then assumed the garb of the ascetic life and died in peace.
The woman’s husband died, and two months afterwards, she also sold all her possessions. [With the money,] she built a monastery and established monks therein.
She served God for a space of twenty years, and when she died, she entered the kingdom of heaven through the prayer of Our Lady Mary.
O Holy Virgin Mary, pray for us!
LIJOCH! The Children's Corner
Verse of the Day - Psalm 65:11
Thou crownest the year with Thy goodness; and Thy paths drop fatness. They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: and the little hills rejoice on every side
Put the following events and seasons in the correct order:
Meskel - Epiphany - The Season of Flowers - Pagume - Lent - The Fast of the Apostles - Christmas - The Fast of Nineveh - The Rainy Season - Pentecost - The Fast of the Prophets - The Harvest Season - The Birth of Mary
1. ______________________________
2. ______________________________
3. ______________________________
4. ______________________________
5. ______________________________
6. ______________________________
7. ______________________________
8. ______________________________
9. ______________________________
10. ______________________________
11. ______________________________
12. ______________________________
13. ______________________________
ይበል:ግዕዝ (yibel Ge’ez)
Let's reclaim our forefathers’ language
Around the new year, you might encounter the phrase:
ርእሰ ዐውደ ዓመት
ri'ise awde amet
The new year
This phrase is made up of 3 words
ርእሰ ri'ise - head or chief
From the verb ርእሰ ri'ise or ረአሰ re'ase - to become chief, we get the noun ርእስ ri'is - the head, top or the chief thing. It can also refer to the self, as in Matthew 5:36, where the English translates as 'head' but can also be 'self', and the Ge'ez translates as ርእስ ri'is.
ዓውደ awde - a cycle or revolution
From the verb ዐወደ awede (can also be said ዖደ ode) - to go around, encircle or revolve
ዓመት amet - year.
So the phrase refers to New Year's Day and literally means 'the head of the cycle of the year', as Sunday is sometimes called 'the head of the week'.
ORTHODOX Q&A
"How can I confess a sin that I keep going back to?"
Confession is not simply coming to a priest and giving a report of one's sins. Confession/repentance is hating sin. The focus is not on coming and reporting to the priest. The reason we don't turn back from sin is because we regard confession/repentance as a law needed to enter into heaven. Therefore although we end up confessing the sin we end up repeating it. Why? Because we didn't come hating the sin! We didn't come in hating the sin and understanding the severity of it, we come because we feel obliged to confess.
...
And therefore repentance is hating sin. ... Sin is communion with the devil.
...
Are you listening? God did not add sin in our creation! ... To begin with, sin isn't something you add or remove. Sin does not have an identity. ... It doesn't have a body, an owner or even a representative. [It is] to fall, [it is] 'missing the mark', and [it is] death.
-Ri'ise Liqawint (Head of the Scholars) Abba Gebrekidan, Sermon on Confession [translated]
Send us your questions at: seu.eotccarla@gmail.com
Short message on behalf the Spiritual Education Unit:
His Grace Abune Thaddaeus, Head Administrator Archimandrite Abba Gebreyesus, and all clergy and faithful- thank you for the opportunity to share this labour of love with you. Thanks also to the team of the Spiritual Education Unit for their hard work.
-Liqe Teghuan Tekle Mariam Greene
References
Miracle of Mary: https://pemm.princeton.edu/en-us/stories/193
CONTACT US:
Archdiocese headquarters: Medhane Alem (Saviour of the World), Old Golden Grove Rd. Arouca, Trinidad and Tobago.
Tel. 868-642-4230.
e-mail: eotc.arch.carla@gmail.com
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