Community of St John the Baptist, Essex

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Slide 3

New Publications

The Otherness of Love

Just as at Pentecost, the hymns of the Church express strange sounds and paradoxical words of the Spirit, which surpass the darkened mind of man, yet witness to the awesome reality of God, so the Spirit releases strange echoes of redemption within the heart inhabited by the fire of love for God. The hymns of Pentecost sound strange in the ears of the world, and only the initiated can comprehend them. Similarly, the paradoxical echoes whispered in the ears of the friends of Christ, speak of ineffable mysteries pertaining to the love of God.

Thirst for Life Eternal

The meaning of Pentecost is precisely to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, which will fill every molecule of our being with the incorruptible love of Christ. It will make our heart vibrate with His life-giving word that testifies with power that ‘though we were dead, yet we shall live’ eternally. The Holy Comforter will render us ‘taught of God’. He will continually initiate us into His mystery, revealing His benefits known and unknown, which make our heart melt with the warmth of His love and be overwhelmed by the only legitimate sorrow, provoked by the awareness that we are unable to thank Him as He deserves and as is befitting unto Him.

The Mystery of Christian Life

The majority of the texts in this book are taken from Saint Sophrony’s collection of drafts which did not reach book form in his lifetime, because he was so occupied in taking care of the monastery and those who visited with need of his prayer and counsel. The texts began in handwritten form, often on already used paper, so that not a scrap of paper – each one a gift from God – would be wasted. The final drafts were typewritten. Some texts were in files; others were on loose papers, many of which were not in any particular order.

Hesychasm

The work of holy stillness is dynamic and so enthralling that when the mind is enthroned in the heart, it is captivated and longs for nothing to tear it away. It descends into the deep recesses of the heart and rises to the inﬁnite heights of the divine Will. Puriﬁed in its furnace, the mind becomes ﬁt for the contemplation of the judgments of God. Like the apostles after Pentecost, man now lives as if he were ‘full of sweet new wine’, given over to the sober drunkenness of divine love.

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The spiritual inheritance passed down from St. Silouan to St. Sophrony to Fr. Zacharias is invaluable as it speaks with such clarity to the needs of our time. That has been my experience - first as a seminarian, and now as a young priest. I routinely draw on the publications of the work of St. Silouan, St. Sophrony, Archim. Zacharias, & Archim. Peter - both for myself and for my pastoral work in the parish. The way these publications speak of the Gospel and the fulness of the life in Christ has been uniquely helpful to me personally and in my work as a priest.

I would also like to offer my thanks for the physical quality and overall appearance/aesthetic of the books themselves. The clothbound hardback with stamped text & logo makes for a superior look and feel for the books. The high-quality paper, uncrowded pages, and even the font, all contribute to the unparalleled reading experience. I appreciate that the books available in hardback will lay flat. Additionally, I have greatly appreciated recent publications - such as At the Doors of Holy Lent - that included two-color text and a ribbon bookmark.

Fr. Anthony Saunders @St. Elizabeth the New Martyr Orthodox Church

Thank you for continuing to release Fr. Zacharias’s writings. They are incredibly encouraging personally and very helpful for pastoring. As a mission-planting priest, these books have enabled me to connect the hard work we are doing here with God’s desire for our salvation. I hope Fr. Zacharias is able to continue publishing for a long time.

Fr. Joel Wilson @Annunciation Orthodox Christian Church

I received the parcel last week and I was extremely glad! Thank You for all the little bookmark presents, that I will pass on to others, to “disseminate” my joy also 🙂 But more, I want to thank Fr Zacharias for his new book, “The Otherness of Love”, which is a real inspiration even for us, those who are living in the world with families and children. I found many answers to some questions I have been tormented with for years, such as the question of the authority in education, and I never found the way until now. This book is so “other” than any other book I've read! I thank Fr Zacharias again and again for his kenosis which enriches us all!

Anca, Romania

I am always amazed and happy at how quickly the books arrive and the packaging is absolutely perfect.Thank you very much for the icon bookmarks that accompany the books, they come along with me through the text and prayers.These books are holy words for me. Reading these books brings peace and grace. Often, when I am in difficult situations, I read one or a few sentences and I am comforted and find answers. It's like the fathers are speaking directly to me. Thank you all for your work and for bringing such great help into the world.

Cornelia, Switzerland

Just received today after UK postal strikes and French delays the wonderful Hesychasm book by Father Zacharias. I was waiting for it to arrive, it was a joy to discover the parcel.

Such a beautiful book and such precious contents. Please thank Father Zacharias for his writings. I also have his 'Remember Thy First Love' book, in French translation, it was a Christmas gift in 2020 from my Godmother who is a nun. I have books by Saint Sophrony in excellent French translation and look forward to reading more in the English versions.

Thank you for the lovely packaging and Saint Sophrony bookmark, lovely surprise, the book is so beautifully printed and presented it is a joy and blessing to receive and read it. It will be a joy to order other books from you when possible.

Again thank you, and gratitude for the Zoom conferences of Father Peter and Father Zacharias.

Fiona Seraphima, France

🎁📚 Embrace the Joy of Gifting! 🌟

We are delighted for our two new publications now available by Father Zacharias. Originally published in Greek last year, we have made every effort to bring them out in English...

We treasure our books so much that we honour them with great care and attention in our gift wrap service ❤️😊🌷

Our today's giftwraps 🎁📚 ❤️ #sophrony #giftwrapping #christianbooks #essexmonastery #saintsophrony

The Mystery of Christian Life by Saint Sophrony A book where Saint Sophrony reflects on his path of Monastic Life and how the life of his Monastery in Essex was...

New Book - The Otherness of Love: The Response to the Supreme Calling of Christ Father Zacharias in this book speaks about various key subjects for the monastic life and...