In the name of the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, One God, Amen.
The fasting of Nineveh
The fast of Nineveh or (Jonah the Prophet), three days of fasting usually in February to remeber the mercy of God on the people of Nineveh (a city in Northern IRAQ) and their repentance that was brought by Jonah the Prophet. When you fast Younan that starts on a Monday and Ends on a Wednesday, you know that Lent, according to the Coptic Tradition, is exactly 2-weeks away
Click here for more detail about that great Prophet
Every thing is
wonderful about the story of Jonah. The story is about repentance of
gentiles, and being returned to God. You notice that every body in the
story was saved from death and returned to God. The mariners in the ship
did not die in the sea and offered sacrifices to God. Jonah did not die in
the belly of the great fish but saved too. The people of Nineveh repented
and God accepted them.
Jonah was hiding in the innermost parts of the ship, then when they threw
him in the sea, he was swallowed by the great fish in the innermost parts
of the fish. The mariners knew God from Jonah, so they offered sacrifices
and vows.
God ordered the mother nature and other creatures to do obey Him. He sent
a great wind on the sea. The lots fell on Jonah. He ordered a great fish
to swallow Jonah. He kept Jonah alive in the belly of the fish. God also
prepared a vine to give shade to Jonah. Then He ordered a worm to chew on
the vine and ordered a hot wind and the sun to fell on Jonah's head. Every
thing obeys God, the almighty.
Wonderful
repentance was offered by the people of Nineveh.
Jonah
3:5-8 The people of Nineveh believed God; and they proclaimed a fast, and
put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. The
news reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and took
off his royal robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. He
made a proclamation and published through Nineveh by the decree of the
king and his nobles, saying, "Let neither man nor animal, herd nor flock,
taste anything; let them not feed, nor drink water; but let them be
covered with sackcloth, both man and animal, and let them cry mightily to
God. Yes, let them turn everyone from his evil way, and from the violence
that is in his hands. Jonah 3:10 God saw their works, that they turned
from their evil way.
Let
us offer strong repentance during these blessed days of Nineveh fast,
glory be to God forever and ever, Amen.
Father Abraham
Azmy is the pastor of Virgin Mary & Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox
Church of Connecticut
visit the church
website
