St. Moses the Black on Daily Self-Examination and Humility

The post presents a passage attributed to St. Moses the Black that opens with a call to examine oneself every day and to reflect on the temptations one has overcome. The text immediately counters any impulse toward self-reliance by instructing the reader to say that mercy and help come from God. It then warns against ever imagining that one has attained any measure of goodness, even until the last breath, and against becoming proud or saying "Blessed am I." The reason given is that one can never be secure from enemies while remaining in the flesh.

The passage directs that no confidence be placed in oneself until one has passed beyond the powers of darkness. It then states a paradox: whoever considers himself without fault has gathered every fault within himself. The final sentence sets a condition for prayer: unless a person stands before God as a sinner, his prayer will not be heard by the Lord.

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