If a man’s deeds are not in harmony with his prayer, he prays in vain. … We should no longer do those things against which we pray. – from the Sayings of the Desert Fathers This word from Abba Moses seems simple enough. Don’t keep doing the wrong that you want to overcome. Despite the … More Lessons from St. Moses: Prayer and Practice
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Matthew 5:8 In time, Moses became one of the sought after Desert Fathers for his spiritual wisdom. Two visitors from Gaul, Germanos and John Cassian – who would later be recognized as a saint himself, came to Sketis to learn from him and others … More Lessons of St. Moses: Pursuing Purity
“Go sit in your cell, and your cell will teach you everything.” from The Sayings of the Desert Fathers Asking for a word of salvation from a monk or nun was a common practice in early Christianity. Some pilgrims visited monastics with deep sincerity striving for a teaching to overcome habitual sins or discover God’s … More Lessons of St. Moses: Go to Your Room
Imagine a man who has been the Pastor of a Protestant denomination for over 15 years secretly studying Orthodox Christianity and practicing a prayer rule. He’s highly regarded by the community and peers in the ministry for his character and teaching and preaching ability. Yet he comes to a point where he can no longer … More Lessons of St. Moses: Embracing Humility
In every story of Moses, we see him ready to make the change from being a bandit to a monastic. It took time and effort to become one of the most notorious criminals of his time. He would also go through a strenuous process to gain the spiritual wisdom and saintly example that would be … More Lessons of St. Moses: Seize the Time
Referring back to the movie Moses the Black; I’m thinking about the main character’s grandmother. I’ll assume she was an Orthodox Christian, although I don’t know too many Churches in an inner city. The hero hadn’t had the time nor put in the effort to be fully catechized and brought into the faith. Yet, his … More Lessons of St. Moses: The Good Seed
As expected, members of my parish wanted to know my opinion of the movie, “Moses the Black.” As an African American clergyman and a longtime member of the Fellowship of St. Moses, I guess my opinion would carry some sort of weight. I’m not a cinematographer or director of any sort. I’ve seen the lead … More Lessons of St. Moses: Redemption
Back in 2010, a young seminarian spoke at the Ancient Faith & Afro-American Christianity Conference in Aniston, Alabama. These were a few of his words: “And in many ways, if the Lord wills I know that if I have a ministry, it will be in many ways the fruit of the Brotherhood of St. Moses … More FSMB 2022 Conference Reflections: Baptized In God’s Time and Way
One thing I can say about being a black Orthodox Christian and among the leadership in the Brotherhood of St. Moses the Black, is that there is always a reason to go forward beyond worldly standards. That my aim, our aim as Christians, is to live as citizens of the eternal kingdom while in the … More Where Do We Go From Here: A Reflection from the BSMB Conference
The community room at my hometown West Point Branch of the Pamunkey Regional Library is free for any person or organization to use as long as there is no charge or nothing being sold. As I am not a member of the clergy, taking up an offering is out of the question. I do have … More Reconciliation: Sharing a Little Bit of Myself
Desert Fathers Dispatch 