In the name of the Father and the Son, the Holy Spirit, One God. Amen.
Beloved, today, I would like to recommend to you three books that I have recently read and that I strongly recommend. There are so many great books out there, so many categories to choose from, and I'm always of the opinion to have a balanced approach to reading, meaning, reading first and foremost spiritual books, including hagiographies or the lives of the saints, but also to read patristics, theology, liturgical books, apologetics, psychology, history and so on. However, the three books I will recommend today are mainly spiritual in nature.
First, the book Elements - The Transfiguration of Elijah, by a Priest of the Oriental Church. This is a must-read. It will change your life. It is a very well-written book and an easy read. It is the story of a kid named Elijah who immigrated to the West as a young child with his parents. Elijah strays away from the Church and through a series of events, God brings him back. And we witness together, as we read, his inner transformation in extraordinary ways.
This book was so good. I was afraid of finishing it. It leads the reader to repentance. It makes you cry and it makes you laugh. And in addition, it is full of deep Orthodox teachings simplified for the lay reader, if you will. I dare to say that his book is truly inspired by the Holy Spirit. This book has a special place in my heart and is definitely ranked in my personal best top five books of all time, maybe even top three.
I must say it is a big book though. It's separated in two volumes, but it is so good that some youth finish it in three weeks. I don't recommend reading it in three weeks though. I do recommend you to slowly enjoy it and to apply what you learn in your personal life. These kind of books are rare to find.
The second book is The Way of the Heart by Henri Nouwen. Father Henri Nouwen is a catholic priest who beautifully and simply uncovers in this book the spirituality of the early desert fathers from different traditions, but with a special focus on the Egyptian desert.
It is an uplifting read. It makes you want to get away and personally meet God in prayer. It speaks about how to encounter God through solitude, silence and unceasing prayer, something we really lack today.
This book is short and sweet. It's less than a hundred pages. It's a good start for anyone who wants to begin exploring the joy of spiritual reading. This one should also be read slowly and practically applied in our lives. It is an excellent choice for Passion Week, because you can read it slowly and still get to finish it by the glorious Feast of the Resurrection.
The third book is the hagiography of the beloved martyr and priest, Father Mina Abood. The book is called A Spring in Sinai and it is wonderfully written by Anthony Marcos. Father Mina is truly a saint in every respect. He is the proof that sainthood is still possible in this day and age.
I really do not want to spoil his story as I want you to read this book, but what I can tell you is that this beautiful priest was martyred in July 2013, almost nine years ago, yet he's more alive now than ever. He's extremely active in terms of his service with the Church on earth through many, many miracles and has become an intercessor for many, including myself.
A special thank you to the author, Anthony Marcos, who did a wonderful job in both gathering the information and writing the book. He has introduced the Western world to an important contemporary saint, another icon of Christ whom we long to imitate.
As a special bonus, here's a quick recommendation of a fourth book that is also an absolute must-read, A Silent Patriarch by Father Daniel Fanous. The only reason this book is not in this specific list is because I read it a while ago while this list is focused on recent readings. But I'm looking forward to re-reading it again soon. It is also definitely part of my personal top five of all time.
Remember: Know your faith, live your faith, and teach your faith. And glory be to God forever and ever. Amen.