Hunger for Righteousness: A Lenten Journey Towards Intimacy with God and Loving Our Neighbor

by Phoebe Farag Mikhail

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”
Matthew 5:6  If you're looking to deepen your faith this Lenten season and beyond, this book will inspire you to live out the words of Jesus, hunger for righteousness, and be filled with God's grace. Hunger for Righteousness is an inspiring and insightful journey through the practices of Lent, Holy Week, and Easter, offering fresh perspectives on spiritual disciplines such as prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and repentance. Based on the powerful words of Jesus in Matthew 5:6, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled," this book invites readers to explore what it truly means to hunger for righteousness in our modern world. Farag Mikhail combines biblical wisdom, historical insights, and personal stories of Christian heroes—both ancient and contemporary—to bring the traditions of Lent alive in a way that is deeply relatable and transformative. Through engaging reflections on key Lenten practices, Mikhail challenges readers to consider how these timeless rituals not only draw us closer to God, but also call us to serve others, mend relationships, and fight injustice. Each chapter is designed to provoke thoughtful action, with reflection questions that help readers apply biblical truths to their own spiritual journeys. Whether you're looking for a way to enhance your personal Lenten practices or seeking a resource for group study, Hunger for Righteousness offers practical guidance for embracing the season of Lent in a deeper, more meaningful way. Discover how Lent was originally a time of preparation—not just for personal transformation but for joining the body of believers through baptism, and how the early Christian practices of Lent emphasize communal growth, repentance, and reconciliation. Through this book, you'll rediscover how Lent is not just an individual spiritual journey, but a time for building new relationships, forgiving others, and embracing the call to live out righteousness in every area of life. Hunger for Righteousness is perfect for those seeking to rededicate themselves to the spiritual disciplines of Lent, offering a rich combination of theological depth, practical advice, and personal reflection. This is more than just a book about Lent—it's a guide to living a life of righteousness, reconciliation, and hope, as you prepare to celebrate the Resurrection with a heart more attuned to God’s will. If we pay closer attention to the earliest Christian Lenten traditions, we’ll discover how Lent was a period during which individuals who wanted to become Christian prepared themselves not for personal transformation, but to join the body of believers, the communion of saints, through baptism. By examining our liturgical prayers and Scripture readings developed over centuries, we’ll discover the ways Lent has always been a time for individual repentance, yes, but first for giving and forgiving, for mending relationships and building new ones, for fighting injustice, and for growing in intimacy with God communally, not just individually. 
—Introduction, Hunger for Righteousness

Genres: Nonfiction

176 pages, Paperback

Published January 7, 2025

Reviews

[Phoebe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did write this book so I guess I'm a little biased, but I am so proud of how this book has come together. I'm also honored that people will be using this book during Lent, and pray that its contents are as edifying for my readers as they have been for me writing them.

[Debbi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as her first book but there were still some good things to ponder about my faith and how it looks in every day life.

[Traci Rhoades · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the way Phoebe takes her own experiences in the Coptic Orthodox church, and makes them feel like a completely universal Christian experience. I don't recognize the names of the saints, the church leaders, or many of the places, but I can relate to the discipleship experiences. Those are mine too.i learn from her as the friend she is. This book will stay on my list of lenten/eastertide recommendations for years to come.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this during Lent, along with a couple of other books. This was different than I expected, as many of the stories and other content come from the author’s background with Coptic Orthodox beliefs and practices. It made me aware of how others have journeyed through Lent with different experiences than my own.

[Kelly Costandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s an easy read, and well written! If you like a story telling style of religious book I think you will love it

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tasoni Phoebe is writing from the Coptic Orthodox perspective, as that is what her life of faith is lived in, I believe that this book is applicable to all Eastern Orthodox Christians, and can also be useful to our Protestant and Catholic friends who might want further understanding of fasting and the Lenten season in the Eastern Christian churches.

Each chapter also ends with questions for reflection and discussion, making it an excellent choice for book clubs, or spiritual groups to read together during the season.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled” Matthew 5:6

The book is broken into 3 parts: Hunger and Thirst, Righteousness, and Filled.

Overall, I will return to sections of this book throughout Lent for reminders about the meaning of this fasting seasons and places to look for spiritual inspiration (saints and biblical examples).

[Stephen G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a Protestant, I appreciated learning more about the lenten season from an Orthodox perspective through Mikhail's book. Mikhail is an engaging writer and uses personal anecdotes, teaching from Scripture, and church history to explain the journey of Lent. She highlighted aspects of Lent like almsgiving and preparation that would enrich any Christian's Lenten journey. The book also includes two helpful Appendixes, one that contrasts the various lenten seasons, and another that provides scheduled Bible readings for the season.

My one complaint is that the content of the chapters seemed a bit arbitrary to me. I couldn't quite understand how the content connected from chapter to chapter. Perhaps it's because I'm not Orthodox, but it wasn't obvious to me why she chose the various passages and examples from church history for each chapter.

[Michelle Boulos · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started this book last year, but never finished and picked it up with a group this year!
Coincidentally, the beatitudes have been a theme for my year so I think it was perfect that I read this more intentionally this year.
I liked the selection of stories and anecdotes, keeping the overall book light, with some tidbits of practical application in between. I also enjoyed the structure, with Patristic quotes at the beginning of each section and discussion questions at the end of each chapter, which both helped me reflect.
A solid Lent companion.

“Righteousness, …, is made up of four components: intimacy with God; living morally and uprightly; showing love and care for the poor, the oppressed, the stranger; and acting with honesty and integrity.”

[Ben Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

While the author wrote this from a Coptic perspective, I found it to be a very engaging and welcoming read from an Eastern Orthodox perspective, and she is welcoming to those from all different strains of Christianity. Very enlightening and uplifting read during Lent.

[Nancy Noble · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another great book from Paraclete Press - I enjoyed learning about different saints that I didn't know anything about, as well as a Coptic Christian perspective.

[Wendy Gierhart · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautiful book! I learned much about the tradition and especially loved Ch. 7 on St. Paesia…. What a treasure to read during Lent.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary: Drawing upon Coptic and other church tradition, explores how Lent may be personally and communally transforming.

I grew up in a Protestant tradition that did not observe Lent. But I lived in a Catholic neighborhood where the conversation before Ash Wednesday was a discussion of “what are you giving up for Lent?” For most, it was something like candy, or perhaps more narrowly, chocolate. I was never quite clear why God needed people to give up chocolate, or other things during this time. For many of us as adults, that is the extent of our knowledge of Lent. Phoebe Farag Mikhail, who has been shaped by the Coptic Orthodox tradition, fasting, and what one fasted from wasn’t a choice. But what her community abstained from reflected a deeper longing, a corporate hunger for righteousness. She writes of this in her introduction.

If we pay closer attention to the earliest Christian Lenten traditions, we’ll discover how Lent was a period during which individuals who wanted to become Christian prepared themselves not for personal transformation, but to join the body of believers, the communion of saints, through baptism. By examining our liturgical prayers and Scripture readings developed over centuries, we’ll discover the ways Lent has always been a time for individual repentance, yes, but first for giving and forgiving, for mending relationships and building new ones, for fighting injustice, and for growing in intimacy with God communally, not just individually (pp. 13-14).

This book is designed to be read and meditated upon and applied during the weeks before and during Lent. One chapter covers each week, as well as a final chapter on Easter. The first week “trains us for the climb” in preparation for Lent by considering Jonah and the Ninevites through practice of the three day Jonah fast. Subsequent chapters consider:

Abraham, reckoned righteous by God, who negotiated with God for Sodom.
St. Abraam of Fayoom, a nineteenth century ascetic who gave generously to the poor.
The faith that moves mountains, including the mountain of forgiveness.
Abba Serapion and the challenge to grow as repentant readers of Scripture.
St. Paesia, a trafficked woman, her turning from despair, and the ways we wrongly judge others.
The righteousness of Tamar, more determined to perpetuate her husband’s family than Judah.
The righteous faith of Abraham again, in the sacrifice of Isaac.

We conclude on the note of Resurrection. Mikhail considers the pilgrimage accounts of Egeria enroute to Jerusalem during Roman times. Egeria walks the way of Jesus passion, and we read of her joy in God and rest in the risen Christ.

Each chapter offers questions for reflection and application. Two appendices offer further resources including the Great Lent Lectionary of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria.

Mikhail helps us see the fast of Lent as a hunger for righteousness, glimpsed in the lives of biblical figures and saints we may not have heard of before. Whether we adopt the practices of Coptic Christians or not, her reflections help us deepen our own practice of Lent. She helps us move beyond the “give up” to the promise for those who hunger for righteousness. They shall be filled.

_____________

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for review.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic second book from Farag Mikhail and a wonderful lenten companion. I think it is theologically deeper than her debut, but at the same time easy to read, drawing upon biblical figures and saints from church history that one can easily identify with. She skillfully weaves together stories, contemplation, patristic and modern commentary, historical/cultural context, analysis, spiritual virtues that we should take care to cultivate during Lent, and practical ways to incorporate it all. I thought the themes throughout the book were especially well done, coming up time and time again in a harmonious way.

This book is one of the best of the modern Coptic tradition. The stories and saints are largely Coptic, yes, but it's also the essence of the writing - steeped in simple storytelling, habits, and practices to learn from, and drawing upon the examples of the saints. You'll learn a lot about specifically Coptic Orthodox culture within Orthodoxy, not just from the content, but from the way it's presented. It's like listening to a lecture in a Coptic Orthodox church.

And yet I think the strength of this book lies in the fact that the author is an obvious doer of the faith and practices she discusses in this book, not merely giving us nice writing. Paraphrasing another contemporary author, "the first rule of Christianity is that you have to do Christianity." Read it this Lent as a worthwhile companion on your journey.

[Sherry Shenoda · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the footsteps of ancestors and saints who have traveled hard paths before us, here is an accessible exploration of the words of Christ: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.” We need not be righteous; we must only want to be. Farag Mikhail draws on a broad knowledge of history and literature, enriched by an intimate understanding of the Coptic tradition to offer wisdom and practical help. She lights the route to the proper posture of our Lenten journey using the thread of stories to proclaim the message of grace and the reminder that God works in our imperfections, our humility, our discomfort, our thirst, our hunger.

[Valerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful and beautiful journey through Lent and toward "intimacy with God and Loving our Neighbor." Mother Phoebe provides important examples of saints and suggested practices to make our pilgrimage transcendent.