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The Hidden Man of the Heart

(1 Peter: 3:4) The Cultivation of the Heart in Orthodox Christian Anthropology

$25.00

Each human heart is fashioned ‘in a unique manner’⁴ by the Creator. It is the true temple where man can meet God and unite with Him. This is why the heart requires ‘a noetic and divine sensation’. However, man is now fallen, his mind scattered throughout all creation, and his heart in a state of lethargy. His tragedy lies in the fact that he lives, speaks, thinks, and even prays outside his own heart. To be healed, the heart must be awakened, the mind must return to its place, and unite with the heart. The heart must become a ‘tight knot’ that encompasses the entire being of man so that he may turn as one entity toward God and fulfil, as much as possible, the perfection of the two great commandments of love. Then he is ‘precious’ before God⁵ and becomes a wondrous likeness of Him. The remembrance of death, the fear of God, the shame of confession are exercises that awaken the heart, while repentance and prayer cleanse and cultivate it to yield the fruit of the good gifts of the Holy Spirit: ‘love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance’⁶.

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AuthorArchimandrite Zacharias Zacharou

LanguageEnglish

Book CoverHardback Clothbound with Dust Jacket

Pages280

PublisherStavropegic Monastery of St John the Baptist

Edition2nd edition

Publication YearReprinted 2023

ISBN978-1-874679-97-4

Weight0.464kg

Dimensions21.5 x 15 x 2 cm

The Hidden Man of the Heart consists of a series of presentations on the place of the heart in the spiritual life of the Christian. Reference is made to the Hesychast tradition of the Orthodox Church, including two of the most influential figures in contemporary Christianity: Saint Silouan the Athonite (1866-1938) and Saint Sophrony the Athonite (1896-1993).

Delivered in Wichita, Kansas at the 2007 Clergy Brotherhood Retreat of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church, each lecture (divided here into chapters) is published in full, together with its corresponding Questions & Answers.

Foreword
The Mystery of Man’s Heart: an Introduction

1. The Awakening of the Heart through Mindfulness of Death
2. The Hour of Death
3. The Awakening of the Heart through Fear of God
4. The Awakening of the Heart through Bearing Shame in the Sacrament of Confession
5. The Building Up of the Heart by Vigilance and Prayer
6. Prayer as Infinite Creation
7. The Building Up of the Heart by the Grace of Repentance
8. On Repentance
9. On Repentance and the Struggle against the Passions
10. On Repentance within the Body of the Church
11. The Building Up of the Heart by the Crucifixion of the Mind
12. ‘Go in and you will find rest’
13. The Deep Heart, New Energies and True Humility
14. The Word of God, Divine Inspiration and Prophetic Life
15. On the Gift of Speaking in Tongues
16. Sermon for the Leave-taking of the Feast of the Meeting of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in the Temple

Index of Names and Subjects
Index of Scriptural References

Book Sample

Media

Excerpts (4)

Christ’s Gospel begins with the words: ‘Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ These words resume the dialogue between God and man, which was severed in Paradise by the disobedience of our forefathers. But these words are now proclaimed with a new creation in view, a new generation, whose Head is Christ, the Creator Himself. It follows that repentance is the beginning of our turning against sin, so that God’s original purpose for man and His creation of man in His image and after His likeness may finally be fulfilled.

There comes a time in man’s life when he feels that all the works he has undertaken bear the seed of corruption and are unable to stand before the gaze of the eternal Judge. Such a perception leads to what St Sophrony called blessed despair, which, in turn, leads to repentance. This is that same ‘godly Sorrow [which] worketh repentance to salvation’ that the Apostle spoke about.

It is said in the life of St Ambrose of Optina that, shortly before his death, he was asked what rule of prayer he had kept, and the Saint replied, ‘There is no better rule than the rule of repentance which the publican teaches us: “God be merciful to me, a sinner.”’ It often happened that, before their death, great Saints like St Sisoes the Great asked God to prolong their life so that they could have more time for repentance. This shows that repentance is not necessary at the outset, but also in the middle and at the end of one’s spiritual life.

— Excerpt from: The Hidden Man of the Heart (p. 127-128)

For the only path leading out of the torments of hell to the everlasting joy of the Kingdom is that of the divine commandments: with our whole being we are to love God and our neighbour with a heart that is free of all sin.

The return journey from this remote and inhospitable land is not an easy one, and there is no hunger more fearful than that of a heart laid waste by sin. Those in whom the heart is full of the consolation of incorruptible grace can endure all external deprivations and afflictions, transforming them into a feast of spiritual joy; but the famine in a hardened heart lacking divine consolation is a comfortless torment. There is no greater misfortune than that of an insensible and petrified heart that is unable to distinguish between the luminous Way of God’s Providence and the gloomy confusion of the ways of this world.

— Excerpt from: The Hidden Man of the Heart • The Mystery of Man’s Heart (p. 13-14)

The best explanation for God’s gift of tongues to the early Church lies in the necessity of teaching newly-converted Christians to pray with their heart rather than just externally, as they used to do before the new Revelation. But the Church soon discovered a deeper way to educate the heart, for She was concerned to cultivate the inner man. She discovered the invocation of the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ. And little by little, the Prayer of the Heart replaced the gift of speaking in tongues. The Jesus Prayer is a way of praying in the spirit without losing any control of the spirit, and, therefore, without running the risk of usurping the space of the other members of the Body of Christ.

… The fact that this phenomenon has reappeared distorted in the Western world, where the way of the heart has been forgotten or is not known, points towards one single purpose. Clearly, the Spirit of God yearns to lead all people home to the Orthodox Church which has the uninterrupted Tradition, and to place them within the Body of the Church, and to instruct them in the noble form of worship that has been practised by Christians for so many centuries, that their hearts might once more be cultivated through the invocation of the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

… If this phenomenon were indeed authentic to some people, then it would have enabled them to discover the true and unbroken Tradition within the One, Holy and Apostolic Church, the Tradition of the Prayer of the Heart, which is the surest and humblest prayer in the edification, inspiration and salvation of man.

— Excerpt from: The Hidden Man of the Heart • On the Gift of Speaking in Tongues (p. 237-239)

According to the Holy Scriptures, God has fashioned every heart in a special way, and each heart is His goal, a place wherein He desires to abide that He may manifest Himself. Since the kingdom of God is within us, the heart is the battlefield of our salvation, and all ascetic effort is aimed at cleansing it of all filthiness, and preserving it pure before the Lord. …

These paths of life pass through man’s heart, and therefore the unquenchable desire of all who ceaselessly seek the Face of the living God is that their heart, once deadened by sin, may be rekindled by His grace. The heart is the true ‘temple’ of man’s meeting with the Lord. Man’s heart ‘seeketh knowledge’ both intellectual and divine, and knows no rest until the Lord of glory comes and abides therein.

— Excerpt from: The Hidden Man of the Heart • The Mystery of Man’s Heart (p. 11-12)

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Sophia (verified owner) – 10 months ago

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When I saw that there was an audiobook, I was beyond delighted!

Thank you so much for doing this.

There are times when you may not be able to read from a physical book.

Having an audiobook is such a blessing, and also quite rare.

I hope that it will be possible for you to make more audiobooks.

Sometimes it’s the very thing you need!

Most audiobooks are of secular topics or novels.

To have one that feeds you from the wisdom of the Holy Fathers, and illuminates the wisdom in such a way that we might be able to understand better or more clearly, is a great blessing.

If I may, with respect, make a small suggestion…

When reading, and coming to stops or pauses, it would be helpful to have a distinction between the smoother pause of a comma and the more definite stop of a period, in order to more easily stay focused.

I noticed that improved in the latter part of the book.

There is a style that Father Peter would read in English during zoom meetings that I found very helpful in being able to stay connected with the reading.

I actually started using his style of reading to help me in my own reading of books out loud, and finding that more of it was being processed and my focus was better.

Please take this as an encouragement and not at all a criticism.

I’m a very poor reader and I am also dealing with chronic illness which makes mental endeavors challenging at times.

So audiobooks of monastic wisdom is such a tremendous blessing!

I think this book is very well done.
Please, if you are able, do more.

Thank you for you blessings with this audiobook.

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Frieda (verified owner) – 1 year ago

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I have been following Archimandrite Zacharias since I first heard his talk on Youtube many years ago. The topic then was the deep heart. I was drawn to his humility and the deep simplicity of his message, which is the message and spirit of his spiritual fathers, Saint Silouan and Saint Sophrony.

In Fr. Zacharias’ book, we find the core teaching of the Orthodox Church from the earliest days, that is, that sincere life-long repentance/contrition and continual prayer that come with love of God draw The Lord to dwell in our hearts, thereby deepening and enlarging our hearts towards union with the heart of Our Lord. Fr. Zacharias explains this path in a detailed way, showing the stages of progress, the pitfalls, the dangers for the lay person as well as the monk. Although the path of repentance is ‘narrow”, Fr. Zacharias has explained it in such a way that anyone who truly desires to love God can start and continue on this path. The Jesus Prayer is covered in detail.

This book, like Fr. Zacharias’s other books and talks conveying the teaching of his fathers, is permeated with the spirit of compassion and humility that I cannot help but feel is meant to be communicated along with the written word. I am grateful to Saint Silouan, Saint Sophrony and Fr. Zacharias for sharing their valuable experiences and their spiritual blessing with us. May I be forgiven if I have shown error and misunderstanding of the book in this review.

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David Healy (verified owner) – 1 month ago

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I gave this book as a Christmas gift to my wife. We both attend the monastery talks online and we both enjoy Father Zacharias’ insights. It is beautifully bound and is something to be treasured. This book will be a great tool in our journey along the way.

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Ancuta Bell – 3 months ago

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The Hidden Man of the Heart it is a quide explaining how we can clean our heart since our Heart it is a battlefield of our salvation. Stand before God and start the cleaning of your heart! The author explains in details how the christians shall understand the true repentance as a gift from God. In this book I found the answers to many spiritual questions I was looking for in my entire life. The text of this book is a wakening call of approaching Our Lord Jesus by taking the steps given by the author.

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C P (verified owner) – 4 months ago

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A gift from God! Through a man of God.
A valuable asset.
I had read the book (more than once, as it’s spiritually edifying, and helpful).
Now having the audiobook also meant I could listen to it when driving/when not able to have the book in hand.
Many thanks for contributing to getting us closer to God, with the eternal value that this entails. And the more we read or listen to it, the further the benefit, warmth, comfort, enlightenment, light, and Love.

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Craig Thomas (verified owner) – 9 months ago

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Very grateful for the audio book! The brother reading Father Zachariah’s words does not inject himself into the book and allows the reader to focus on the words of Father Zachariah without distraction. It is wonderful that the book goes with me wherever I go. I am on my second time through and each time I take away something more.

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Costa Neocleous (verified owner) – 9 months ago

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Excellent explanation of the passions- ch 9-on Repentance and the Struggle against the Passions! Thank you Father Zacharias! 1Thes:4:3.

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Sophia (verified owner) – 10 months ago

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Every bit of this book is such a great blessing; such a great help in my spiritual life.

I have to go back and read it again.

So much of it is underlined where I have been moved in my heart to contemplate on my journey on the Way.

Thank you for this treasure of a gift you give to us!

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Christos (verified owner) – 10 months ago

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Feel very grateful this audiobook has been made available – deeply practical, clear and eye-opening.

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Helena Clemente (verified owner) – 10 months ago

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It’s amazing!!!
I have the book from a while and have read it but listen to this has been rejuvenating.
I look forward to more audio books.

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Timothy (verified owner) – 10 months ago

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Offering audiobooks is an answer to prayer…thank you! This is a wonderful option for those of us living in the world with busy work schedules and little to no time to sit down & read. Fr. Zacharias’ books are wonderful spiritual resources. I hope the monastery will make ALL of its books available in audiobook format…that would be such a blessing!!!

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Olga (verified owner) – 10 months ago

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A wonderful book – very inspiring and very practical, with helpful answers to many questions.
I am so grateful that it exists as an audiobook!
Thank you very much!

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Panayiotis (verified owner) – 10 months ago

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A meaningful book well read.

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Constantin Dumitrache (verified owner) – 10 months ago

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I find it verry useful…because I can listen while I’m driving… plus the reading is clear, loud and peaceful.

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Nektaria (verified owner) – 10 months ago

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I wholeheartedly recommend this audiobook. It inspires and nourishes the heart and mind. The reading is clear and allows the listener to focus on the substance of the delivered speech.

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