Saint Moses the black
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
SAINT MOSES THE BLACK
On the 24th of Paoanna,
the 1st of July, the Coptic Church celebrates the martyrdom of the
great Saint Moses the black. Despite his evil deeds throughout his early life,
God in his infinite mercy found that Moses’, heart was set upon the Lord God.
When he prayed to the sun as his God for he had no
other to worship, he used to say “O, sun, if you are the God let me know, and
you O God whom I do not know, show yourself to me.” Moses heard that the monks
of the wilderness of Shiheet knew that God. So Moses
immediately took up his sword and traveled to that
wilderness.
There, he met Saint Isezerous
and asked that he guide him to his salvation. The father educated Moses and
taught him much about the word of God, condemnation and salvation. Hearing the
father’s words, tears would cascade from his eyes repenting for his sins.
HIS CONFESSION
Saint Moses used to kneel before the priest and
confess in a loud voice his faults and the crimes he committed in his former
evil life in humility asking for God’s mercy. Saint Isezerous
took Moses to Saint Macarious and Moses confessed his
sins and his past evils out loud in the church. Saint Macarious
saw a white tablet with black writing. As Moses confessed his sins, an angel of
God erased the sins off the tablet until it became white.
Once he was asked to condemn one of his brothers
who committed a sin. So Moses took a sack with a hole in it, filled it with
sand and carried it on his back. When they asked him, he answered “these are my
sins falling behind me and I cannot see them, but I came today to condemn
another.” And when they heard this they forgave the brother.
HIS MARTYRDOM
While sitting with the brothers Moses told them
that the barbarians where approaching and advised them to hide or escape. They
asked him if they will flee too and he replied “I have been waiting for this
day for many years, to fulfill what is written ‘those
who take by the sword will die by the sword”. (Matthew 26:52)
DEAR READER
The secret of the great Saint Moses and his
strength was in the powerful repentance, without return to the sin. So when you
go to your confession father repenting and you sin again, God remembers this
sin. God forgets the sins you confess and not turn back to, but the ones you
return to and have not confessed he remembers. Now is your chance to confess
your sins so your tablet may become white like Saint Moses after his confession
and real repentance.
May the prayers of Saint Moses help us in our
repentance and strengthen us in our struggle. Amen
By.
Ehab Wahib
