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Words for Our Time
- The Spiritual Words of Matthew the Poor
- De: Matthew the Poor
- Narrado por: Kristina Wenger
- Duración: 6 h y 57 m
- Versión completa
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General5 out of 5 stars 31
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Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 26
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Historia5 out of 5 stars 26
The 20th-century elder Abba Matta of Egypt, known in the West as Matthew the Poor, is widely regarded as the greatest Egyptian elder since St. Antony the Great. He produced a huge and varied body of work in Arabic, only a little of which has been translated into English. In addition, a great many of his informal talks to monks and visitors were recorded. This volume is the first appearance in English of a small selection of these talks.
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2 out of 5 stars
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Good book but bad narration.
- De M. Androus en 02-27-20
- Words for Our Time
- The Spiritual Words of Matthew the Poor
- De: Matthew the Poor
- Narrado por: Kristina Wenger
An absorbing, profound, feast of a read
Revisado: 05-05-20
I was mesmerized by the simple yet profound conversational teachings of this renowned 20th century Egyptian monk and spiritual teacher.
Words for Our Time contains a selection of Matthew the Poor’s informal talks arranged in four sections: Spirituality, Christian Living, On Scripture, and On Feasts and Fasts. Its intimate tone made me feel as if I was sitting in a cozy pilgrim’s gathering, leaning forward, eager to absorb the richness and depth of each spoken word. The audiobook format is perfect for this volume. I appreciated the narrator’s moderate pace, which allowed just enough time for the words to penetrate without feeling ponderous.
Many quotes ended up transcribed into my notebook, but I will mention just one here. Abba Matta explains that Jesus’ admonition, “Take up the cross, and follow me” means “to be always ready to abandon the self for the sake of others.” This is a perspective I had never considered – I thought my cross was about my own struggles and burdens. How much harder it is to bear a cross for others, knowing my own self-interested heart and selfish tendencies. This is now a point of prayer and repentance.
I recommend this book to anyone hungry to grow spiritually, to deepen her relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I’m grateful that Ancient Faith Publishing offered me the chance to listen to this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. Because this first volume of The Spiritual Words of Matthew the Poor was so meaningful to me, the second volume, Words for Our Lives, is now on my short list of must reads (or must listens).
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Garden in the East: The Spiritual Life of the Body
- De: Angela Doll Carlson
- Narrado por: Angela Doll Carlson
- Duración: 4 h y 11 m
- Versión completa
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General5 out of 5 stars 8
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Narración:5 out of 5 stars 8
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Historia5 out of 5 stars 8
How we care for and nurture our bodies has implications for all areas of our development - physical, emotional, and even spiritual. The body is a living and organic revelation of the unseen spirit inside a kind of garden....
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5 out of 5 stars
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love and take care of oneself that is how you keep your temple God made taking care of.
- De Lori Paich en 02-06-24
Recommended reading
Revisado: 05-24-19
Angela Doll Carlson invites her readers to reflect with her on the metaphor of the body as a garden that “is organic and alive, intricately woven together by the hands of the One who made me, and it needs my care.” I appreciate Carlson’s poetic use of words, her reflective, self-effacing honesty. I resonated with many of her personal vignettes in ‘me too!’ moments. Judiciously chosen gems from the likes of Thomas Merton, Luci Shaw (one of my favorite poets), and St. Isaac the Syrian add depth to her reflections. On the occasions when I was listening at home, rather than on my daily commute, pause and replay were my friends as I captured thoughts and phrases to which I want to return for my own reflection.
While I am a frequent podcast listener, audiobooks are not my common fare as I prefer a book in hand. However, I have discovered that I enjoy audiobooks that are not overly dense yet offer a new twist or perspective and somehow invite me to become more deeply human. I enjoy audiobooks when I laugh out loud, gasp with surprise, well up with tears, when in my mind’s eye I am there – fully engaged. Garden in the East is an audiobook I enjoyed ‘reading.’ That the book is read by the Carlson herself felt wholly appropriate and I found her voice easy to listen to.
Garden in the East is not a theological treatise on the spiritual life of the body, nor is it a self-help book. It reads like an extended personal meditation, which I personally found both interesting and helpful. While I enjoyed the audiobook, I do plan to purchase a hard copy so that I can soak in the words more deeply and go back to gems that I didn’t take time to pause, replay, and write in my journal the first time around.
In full disclosure, Ancient Faith Publishing provided me with a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
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I Live Again
- A Memoir of Ileana, Princess of Romania and Archduchess of Austria
- De: Ileana Archduchess of Austria
- Narrado por: Kristina Wenger
- Duración: 14 h y 4 m
- Versión completa
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General5 out of 5 stars 47
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Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 41
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Historia5 out of 5 stars 41
Ileana, Princess of Romania and Archduchess of Austria who in later life became Mother Alexandra, founder of the Orthodox Monastery of the Transfiguration in Pennsylvania wrote this memoir shortly after relocating to the US in the 1950s. It tells the story of a life full of suffering, tragedy, and exile, but all is suffused with the author's deep faith, hope, love, and even joy.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Lovely Story, Poor Narration
- De Juanita en 03-31-20
- I Live Again
- A Memoir of Ileana, Princess of Romania and Archduchess of Austria
- De: Ileana Archduchess of Austria
- Narrado por: Kristina Wenger
Compelling!
Revisado: 02-02-19
Last spring, I visited the Orthodox Monastery of the Transfiguration near Ellwood City, Pennsylvania. The beauty and serenity of the monastery, the prayerful services, and the sisters’ warm hospitality provided a needed respite after a busy Lenten season. It was there that I first learned of Princess Ileana, who in her later years took up a monastic vocation and, as Abbess Mother Alexandra, founded the first English-speaking Orthodox women’s monastery on American soil in the hills of western Pennsylvania. My visit coincided with the 50th year of the monastery’s founding, and with this anniversary I Live Again: A Memoir of Ileana was to be reprinted by Ancient Faith Publishing. Within weeks of its publication, I purchased the book and entered, entranced, into Ileana’s story.
This is not the story of a fairytale princess. Princess Ileana writes passionately, frankly, and compellingly of her country, Romania, and of a royal life intertwined with the stark and frequently brutal realities of World Wars I and II and of the Communist takeover of her country. “Duty was the keyword of my childhood and youth,” Princess Ileana explains. “I was trained to do my duty to my country in all things … to be loyal to family and friends.” It is this sense of duty and loyalty suffused with a deep faith and fervent love for her country, her people, and her family that weaves through tale after amazing tale.
Summing up lessons learned, Princess Ileana confides: “I know now that love and pity, implemented with the will to serve, can transcend all things and work incredible miracles; that one can overcome shyness, fatigue, fear, and even what seems uncontrollable physical repulsion, by a simple overwhelming longing to serve and be of use … I have learned that where there is faith in the Lord, His work can be done.” Written just a few short years after she was exiled from Romania, this is a book of hope – hence the title, I Live Again. The additional material included in this anniversary edition sets the memoir in the context of Mother Alexandra’s later life, accentuating how fully she did indeed “live again.”
I found this book hard to put down; it was like saying farewell to a dear friend when I came to the last pages. So, when the opportunity arose to provide an honest review in exchange for gratis access to the audiobook version of I Live Again I was eager to do so. A second go at the book only deepened my appreciation of Princess Ileana’s storytelling prowess. The narrator reads with feeling and a well-paced cadence, effortlessly pronouncing enigmatic Romanian names. I highly recommend this book: to men and women, to teens and adults, to fans of memoir, to fans of early to mid-twentieth century European history, to admirers of Mother Theresa (for Princess Ileana also gave her life to those in need), to those looking for inspiration from a modern-day saint who persevered through incredible adversity. I know I will be reading and listening to this book again - and sharing it with others!
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