Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
A couple of years ago, our parish enjoyed attending a wonderful movie entitled “The Man of God,” based on the life of St. Nektarios. The same producers have created what I think will be an even better film about the incredible story of St. Moses the Black.
St. Moses was a4th Century Ethiopian by birth and lived in Egypt. He was a violent criminal and the leader of a band of robbers before allowing Christ to reverse the course of his life, eventually becoming a penitent and great ascetic. Once the slave of a master, Moses escaped and joined a gang of petty thieves and robbers. Because of his great physical strength, arrogance, and actually his great intelligence, the gang chose him as their leader. After several divinely guided and incredible events, St. Moses was overcome with pangs of conscience and repentance for the misdeeds, which he had committed. He left the group, entered a monastery and gave himself completely in obedience to his spiritual father and to the monastic rule.
He benefited much from the teachings of Saints Makarios, Arsenios and Isidore. Later, he withdrew to solitude in a cell where he dedicated himself completely to physical labor, prayer, vigils and godly thoughts. Tormented by the demons, Moses confessed to Isidore, his spiritual father, and from him, received counsel to fast even more and never to eat to full satisfaction. When even this did not help he, at the counsel of the elder, began to keep vigil at night and to pray standing; after that, he began the practice of bringing water to the elderly monks from a distant well all night long. After six years of terrible struggles, St. Isidore finally miraculously healed him of sinful thoughts, fantasies and dreams.
St. Moses was ordained a priest in old age. He founded his own monastery and had seventy-five disciples and lived in this life for seventy-five years. He foresaw his death and, one day, he told his disciples to flee for the barbarians were going to attack the monastery. When the disciples also urged him to flee with them, St. Moses said that he must die by violence for, at one time, he himself committed violence and, according to the words: “For all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword” (St. Matthew 26:52). He remained there with six brethren and the barbarians came and slew them. One of the brethren, hidden in the vicinity, beheld and saw seven shining wreaths as they descended upon the seven martyrs.
His conversion in the Egyptian desert is inspirational and piercing. Unlike the movie about St. Nektarios, which was placed in his contemporary and historic setting, “Moses the Black” is told through a contemporary lens in modern day Chicago. It seems riveting.
I have purchased an entire theater for an evening’s showing so that we as a community can share in this incredible experience together. Though the tickets are $12.50, we will be selling them as a church group for $15.00 to benefit our youth ministries. Here are the details:
“MOSES the Black”
Written and directed by Yelena Popovic
Wednesday, February 4th
7:00 pm
Cinemark Theater at Jordan Landing in West Jordan, Utah
Please see Fr. Anthony for tickets.
$15.00
There are only about 45 tickets available for our group. Tickets will go quickly. If you are not able to be with us on February 4th, I encourage you to still see the film. Popovic does great work. Glory be to God!
With Love in Christ,
Fr. Anthony Savas
Protopresbyter