Every Day, Every Hour

Moses asked Silvanus, "Can a monk live every day as though it were the first day of his monastic life?"

Silvanus answered, "If you are truly committed to your way of life, you can live every day, every hour, as though it were the first day or hour of your monastic life."

Stamp on Self

Moses said to brother Zacharias, "Tell me what to do."

At those words Zacharias threw himself at his feet, saying, "Why ask me, abba?"

The hermit said, "I tell you, my son Zacharias, I saw the Holy Spirit coming upon you, and so I cannot avoid asking you."

Then Zacharias took his cowl from his head, and put it beneath his feet and stamped on it, and said, "Unless a man stamps upon self like that, he cannot be a monk."

~~Descent of the Holy Spirit by Christopher Smith

A Multitude of Angels

It happened that Moses, who lived in Petra, was struggling with the temptation to fornication. Unable stay any longer in the cell, he went and told Isidore about it. He advised him to return to his cell. But he refused, saying, "Abba, I cannot."

Then Isidore took Moses out onto the terrace and said to him, "Look towards the west."

He looked and saw hordes of demons standing about and making a noise before launching an attack.

Then Isidore said to him, "Look towards the east."

He turned and saw an innumerable multitude of holy angels shining with glory. Isidore said, "See, these are sent by the Lord to the saints to bring them help, while those in the west fight against them. Those who are with us are more in number than they are against us" (cf. Kings 6:16).

So Moses gave thanks to God, plucked up courage and returned to his cell.

Keep the Commandments

When he was in Scetis, Moses used to say, "If we keep the commandments of our predecessors I will answer on God's behalf that the barbarians will not come here. But, if we do not keep the commandments of God, this place will be devastated."

A Fool and Heretic

Once a provincial judge heard of Moses and went to Scetis to see him. They told Moses that he was on his way, and he got up and fled towards a marsh. The judge and his entourage met him, and asked him, "Tell me, old man, where is the cell of Moses?"

"What do you want to see him for?" Moses asked. "He is a fool and a heretic."

The judge came to the church and said to the clergy, "I have heard about Moses and I came to see him. But I met an old man on the way to Egypt, and I asked him where the cell of Moses was and he said, 'Why are you looking for him? He is a fool and a heretic.'"

The clergy were distressed and said, "What sort of person was your old man who told you this about the holy man?"

They said, "He was an old man, tall and black, wearing the oldest possible clothes."

The clergy said, "That was Moses. He said that about himself because he didn't want you to see him."

The judge went away very impressed.

Fruit of the Vine

Moses said, "One who avoids others is like a ripe grape. One who stays in company is like a sour grape."

~~Sour Grapes by Sally Minker

Go To Your Cell

In Scetis a brother went to Moses to ask for advice. He said to him, "Go and sit in your cell, and your cell will teach you everything."

The Patience of Moses

At a meeting of monks in Scetis, the hermits wanted to test Moses. So they poured scorn on him, saying, "Who is this black man who is here with us?"

Moses heard them but said nothing. When the meeting had dispersed, the monks who had insulted him asked him, "Weren't you upset inside?"

He replied, "I was upset, and I said nothing."

Moses was a black man from Ethiopia who was often teased about the color of his skin. He accepted such humor happily, aware of the affection with which it was offered. He was a released slave who lived as a robber in Egypt until he became a monk as a disciple of Isidore. He was ordained a priest and had many disciples. He went to Petra at the end of his life and was killed there with some of his followers by the barbarian invaders.

Commandments of God

In Scetis, there once went out an order that they should fast for a week, then celebrate Easter. During the week, some brothers happened to come into Egypt to visit Moses, and he cooked a little vegetable stew for them.

The nearby hermits saw the smoke, and said to the clergy of the church, "What is that smoke? Moses must be disobeying the order, and cooking in his cell."

The clergy said, "We will talk to him when he comes."

On Saturday, the clergy, who knew the greatness of his way of life, said to Moses in front of the entire congregation, "Moses, you have broken a commandment of men: but you have kept the commandments of God valiantly."

~~Photo of wheat in Tuscany by Frank Logue

Mister Sandman

In Scetis a brother was once found guilty. They assembled the brothers, and sent a message to Moses telling him to come. But he would not come. Then the presbyter sent again, saying, "Come, for the gathering of monks is waiting for you."

Moses got up and went . He took with him an old basket, which he filled with sand and carried on his back. They went to meet him and said, "What does this mean, abba?"

He said, "My sins run out behind me and I do not see them and I have come here today to judge another."

They listened to him and said no more to the brother who had sinned but forgave him."

~~From the oil-painting, The Sandman, by Maxfield Parrish, owned by Michael M. Van Beuren.

Age Does Not Equal Wisdom

Cassian said, "Moses the Hermit told us, 'It is good not to hide our thoughts; we ought to disclose them to discreet and devout elders; but not to those who are old merely in years, for many have found final despair instead of comfort by confessing to those whom they saw to be old, but who were in fact inexperienced.'"

~~photo by Frank Logue