The Ineffable Folly of Divine Love

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The angels are always mindful of their createdness: they cover their faces and their feet with four wings to preserve their humility before the Lord Who brought them from non-being into being. Although they are immortal and incorporeal beings, they never forget that they are creatures, that they are not without beginning. Therefore, it is with restrained boldness – with only two wings – that they fly around ‘the throne of the Majesty in the heavens’. Humility gives them the strength to abide in everlasting doxology before God.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Prologue

Whatsoever Is Humble Bears the Seal of Truth

The Bread of Tears, the Strength of Those Who Repent

The Sanctifying Leaven of Divine Love

The Mystery of the Church

Divine Otherness in God and in His Saints

Charismatic Aspects of the Life of Saint Silouan

A Few Reminiscences from our Life with Saint Sophrony

Interpretation of Gospel Readings

The Centurion of Capernaum

The Canaanite Woman

The Prodigal Son

Thoughts on Various Aspects of Ascetic Life

Interpreting Words of Scripture

A Few Aspects of the Monastic Path

Monasticism and the World

Unceasing Prayer

Freedom of Heart through Forgiveness

Index of Scriptural References

Book Sample

Excerpts (5)

Many wonder: ‘Why did God permit the devil to tempt the first-created in the Garden of Eden?’ The answer is that in this way, God desired to reveal unto the world ‘the ineffable folly’ of His love for man unto the end.

God ordained all creation to be a paradise for man; Eden was but the beginning. The Book of Genesis does not say that God ‘created’ Paradise, but that God planted a paradise in Eden’ (Gen. 2:8 LXX), revealing thereby the dynamic of this place, where Adam could potentially increase in God and come to know the perfection of His love. After the Fall, the gates of Eden were shut without return, for God would give man another Paradise, incomparably greater than the paradise lost: Abraham’s bosom, the grace of adoption.

— Excerpt from: The Ineffable Folly of Divine Love • Prologue (p. 11) • Archimandrite Peter

Humility is of the utmost importance, for it characterises the way of the Lord, of His angels and of His saints. The way of the Lord is a humble descent and sacrifice. He Himself said: ‘The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many?’ He ministers to His enemies with His love. He gives His life for them and feeds them with His Body and Blood in every Liturgy.

— Excerpt from: The Ineffable Folly of Divine Love • Whatsoever Is Humble Bears the Seal of Truth • Why is humility such a fundamental virtue? (p. 15)

The angels are always mindful of their createdness: they cover their faces and their feet with four wings to preserve their humility before the Lord Who brought them from non-being into being. Although they are immortal and incorporeal beings, they never forget that they are creatures, that they are not without beginning. Therefore, it is with restrained boldness — with only two wings — that they fly around ‘the throne of the Majesty in the heavens’. Humility gives them the strength to abide in everlasting doxology before God.

— Excerpt from: The Ineffable Folly of Divine Love • Whatsoever Is Humble Bears the Seal of Truth • Why is humility such a fundamental virtue? (p. 16)

How did Saint Sophrony receive the non-Orthodox guests who visited your monastery?

Saint Sophrony had unshakeable confidence in the unique truth of the Orthodox Tradition; he would never compromise the dogmatic truth of the Church. But he would go out of his way to show love and honour to anyone who came to him.

Let us suppose that a non-Orthodox bishop comes to our monastery. It does us no harm to honour him, because that is the treatment he is accustomed to having from the people in his church. He may have travelled far to visit us, and we must receive him with honesty, humility and love, and give him the possibility to hear, to learn, to live with us.

Let us take the example of the Slavs. The emperor sent emissaries to examine all the religions of the world and advise him on which religion to adopt for his empire. On their return, they told him: ‘Only in Constantinople have we found the true religion. When we entered the church of Saint Sophia during the Liturgy, we thought we were in heaven.’ The emperor then invited missionaries from Constantinople to come and teach his people.

— Excerpt from: The Ineffable Folly of Divine Love • The Mystery of the Church (p. 95)

The missionaries from Byzantium did not go to Russia to convert by force; they were invited there by the emperor. The Orthodox have never had the tendency to use politics or armies to propagate Christianity and impose their faith. Indeed, we are sometimes accused of being a ‘closed circle’ because of our relative lack of missionary work. When we do carry out missionary work, we respect the freedom of others. If others invite us and are willing to hear, we preach the word of God. Otherwise, we simply try to live the tradition that we have received.

If those Russian emissaries had been forbidden from entering the church of Saint Sophia because they were pagans, they would not have been able to experience the atmosphere of the Divine Liturgy. But because they were welcomed and honoured, they were inspired and convinced by their experience. People who lack compassion of this kind pray externally, not with their heart.

Prayer with the heart fills man with the desire for all to share in the grace he has received. A simple example of this are the peasants in Cyprus, who used to thank God after every meal and say: ‘Lord, do not deprive all Thy world from the same.’ This is true Christian compassion.

— Excerpt from: The Ineffable Folly of Divine Love • The Mystery of the Church (p. 95-96)

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  1. 🇬🇧 United Kingdom (UK)
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    Philip Seddon (verified owner)

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    Pure Gold Dust

    I leave Archimandrite Zacharias’s The Ineffable Folly of Divine Love to last, not just because I have previously offered an extended review of two of his earlier works, and not only because of his astonishing ability to ‘invent’ such extraordinarily thought-provoking titles, but also because once again, we find pure gold-dust. He speaks, writes and reads like any one of us, but, whether with gentleness, authority, simplicity, amusement, profundity or strong challenge, whether in terms of personal anecdotes or multiple quotations from the Orthodox tradition and Liturgy, he speaks from, and to, and of another world which is our true Home. He speaks from within the heart of Christ, and he answers questions without hesitation, because he wants us to be drawn by and into The Ineffable Folly of Divine Love.

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  2. 🇬🇧 United Kingdom (UK)
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    Gabriela (verified owner)

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    In this world where just browsing online we get bombarded by so much useless information, it is so refreshing and helpful to be reminded of the one true purpose in life: sanctification. “The surest path is to be mindful of nothing, neither drawn by news nor entangled in affairs of this world. It is enough to feel the energy of God’s grace within and to entrust to Him all people, the whole world. A simple prayer without images suffices: ‘O Lord, save the whole world and me.’ This prayer is all-embracing.”

    A wonderful book as usual from Father Zacharias. Thank you and waiting for more inspiring books in different formats and languages.

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  3. 🇺🇸 United States (US)
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    Robert Vivian (verified owner)

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    The beloved American poet Emily Dickinson once wrote that “hope is a thing with feathers”; but after reading Fr. Zacharias’ new book THE INEFFABLE FOLLY OF DIVINE LOVE I have come to think and feel that hope is a person and all the saints and perhaps that all divine truth is indeed personal in the most profound and mysterious way, as Fr. Zacharias writes that “the Eternal is a person” (243). I cannot get over the astounding beauty of this—nor can I even fully comprehend the import and urgency of his latest book. All I can do in this meager review is thank him eternally for his wisdom and his voice, which never fail to put me in deeper touch with the divine humility of Christian Orthodoxy.

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  4. 🇺🇸 United States (US)
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    Erin Maria Burger (verified owner)

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    Once again the words of Father Zacharias aim high and lead us well through the disparities of a world that has forgotten what it means to know and love the Lord.
    When we learn to let go of our own machinations of thought, and cling to the hem of His garment, Christ will lead us through the labyrinth of hypocrisy that radiates in the world. And we learn, through this upside-down inside-out view of true and authentic spiritual life, to navigate by following Him, and Him alone, through every storm and difficult passage. It is hard to learn these lessons because we are so self reliant and trust our own thinking. And God may present to us very unexpected circumstances, but if we learn to trust Him with every fiber of our being, most especially when it looks like folly and great foolishness in the eyes of the world, there will be recompense beyond measure.
    To Him be the glory. Amen.

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  5. 🇬🇧 United Kingdom (UK)
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    Tony Martin (verified owner)

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    Here is a book to re-read, savour and imbibe – why? Because, here are ‘human words placed in the perspective of the divine word’ (p.162), which result in an impartation of grace to the soul. The Apostle Paul exhorted the Roman Christians to resist the world and be transformed through a renewed mind in the Holy Spirit (Rom 12:2).

    We are blessed to have the gifts of Father Zacharias, the community of the Monastery in Essex and the legacy of Saint Silouan and Saint Sophrony: themselves gifts of heavenly love to the Church and world.

    I found the reading of this book became itself a journey of repentance and thanksgiving. At times one needed to pause, be still and offer grateful prayers to Almighty God for his immeasurable love in Christ. Here are words wrapped in the warmth of God that help us to heal and be transformed another degree of glory.

    Humbly, I offer these words as a non-orthodox pastor who can testify to the generous welcome seekers receive at the monastery. In other words, this book and its contents represent a living, incarnate, embodied theology: to God be the glory.

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  6. 🇺🇸 United States (US)

    Costakis Neocleous (verified owner)

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    Another beautiful book by our beautiful Arch Zacharias- this one is easy to read and covers everything/ from how we are saved to how to make the Theotokos your spiritual Mother- love her Icon Paramithia- the Comforter- how to make the Liturgy your own- a true relationship in Christ- so as to look forward to the next Liturgy! Living and lovong Christ – more blessed to serve than to be served- what a blessing in a beautiful marriage- humility being the golden word! 100 stars!

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  7. 🇺🇸 United States (US)

    Edward Kleinguetl (verified owner)

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    The book “The Ineffable Folly of Divine Love” is spiritually uplifting and was hard to put down. I was particular moved by the theme of repentance throughout the book, something upon which I have been reflecting. This was my fourth book that I read from Archim. Zacharias — all are excellent! My first was “Hidden Man of the Heart” and I have returned to it regularly. Thank you for this wonderful book, Reverend Father. By your blessing.

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  8. 🇦🇺 Australia

    Cathy Sfetsos (verified owner)

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    A Beautiful book ❤️ As are All of Father Zacharias’.
    His writings are truly edifying and full of Grace ❤️

    His books are books you will want to read again and again.
    Mind, Heart and Soul nourishing ❤️🌻

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