On the 24^th of Paoanna, the 1^st 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