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Words for Our Lives: The Spiritual Words of Matthew the Poor
The twentieth-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. This series constitutes the first appearance in English of a selection of the informal talks Abba Matta gave to his fellow monks and to visitors. In simple, accessible language, he addresses subjects ranging from Scripture to the church year to everyday life in the world. To read these talks is to sit at the feet of one of the greatest spiritual teachers of our age.
- GenresChristianity
192 pages, Paperback
Published April 7, 2016
18 people are currently reading
67 people want to read
About the author
Matthew the Poor
34 books31 followers(Arabic: متى المسكين)
Father Matta El-Meskeen (Maskeen or Maskine ; translated as Matthew the Poor ), born Youssef Eskander (September 20, 1919 - June 8, 2006), was a Coptic Orthodox monk and spiritual father of 130 monks in the Monastery of St. Macarius the Great at Scetis in Wadi Natrun, Egypt. He is considered by many to be a renowned Orthodox theologian, and was an author of voluminous texts on numerous topics, including biblical exegesis, ecclesiastical rites, and other spiritual and theological matters (181 books, besides hundreds of journal articles).
Father Matta is celebrated by many Copts as a reformer and a prominent figure in recent Coptic history. Following the repose of Pope Kyrillos VI in 1971, Father Matta and two others (Bishops Samuel and Shenouda) were considered as candidates for the Patriarchal throne. Bishop Shenouda was chosen to be the Coptic Pope of Alexandria.
Father Matta and Pope Shenouda share some common history. Both participated in the Sunday school movement and Matta was Shenouda's confessor in the 1950s. Pope Shenouda acknowledges his debt to his teacher, Father Matta El-Meskeen, whom he calls 'my father monk' in the introduction to his book Intelaq Al-Rouh (The Release of the Spirit).(Father Matta was also the spiritual guide of the late Alexandrian priest Father Bishoy Kamel, a contemporary Coptic Orthodox saint.)
It is undocumentedly alleged that Father Matta was suspended twice, first by Pope Yousab II in 1955, and then again by Pope Kyrillos VI for nine years from 1960 to 1969[15] for administrative/"political" (e.g., his book about the 'Church and the State', in which he called for total separation of the two) rather than for any truly theological or core dogmatic issues. However this allegation is not true at all and undocumented. Some say undocumentedly that what is called the 1960s suspension was because of Father Matta's objection to the Coptic Church signing of the Catholic Declaration of the Innocence of the Jews from the Blood of Christ. But also this allegation is not true and undocumented. The saintly Pope Kyrillos VI later insisted that Father Matta absolve and forgive him in the presence of H.E. Metropolitan Mikhail of Assiut.
Father Matta El-Meskeen (Maskeen or Maskine ; translated as Matthew the Poor ), born Youssef Eskander (September 20, 1919 - June 8, 2006), was a Coptic Orthodox monk and spiritual father of 130 monks in the Monastery of St. Macarius the Great at Scetis in Wadi Natrun, Egypt. He is considered by many to be a renowned Orthodox theologian, and was an author of voluminous texts on numerous topics, including biblical exegesis, ecclesiastical rites, and other spiritual and theological matters (181 books, besides hundreds of journal articles).
Father Matta is celebrated by many Copts as a reformer and a prominent figure in recent Coptic history. Following the repose of Pope Kyrillos VI in 1971, Father Matta and two others (Bishops Samuel and Shenouda) were considered as candidates for the Patriarchal throne. Bishop Shenouda was chosen to be the Coptic Pope of Alexandria.
Father Matta and Pope Shenouda share some common history. Both participated in the Sunday school movement and Matta was Shenouda's confessor in the 1950s. Pope Shenouda acknowledges his debt to his teacher, Father Matta El-Meskeen, whom he calls 'my father monk' in the introduction to his book Intelaq Al-Rouh (The Release of the Spirit).(Father Matta was also the spiritual guide of the late Alexandrian priest Father Bishoy Kamel, a contemporary Coptic Orthodox saint.)
It is undocumentedly alleged that Father Matta was suspended twice, first by Pope Yousab II in 1955, and then again by Pope Kyrillos VI for nine years from 1960 to 1969[15] for administrative/"political" (e.g., his book about the 'Church and the State', in which he called for total separation of the two) rather than for any truly theological or core dogmatic issues. However this allegation is not true at all and undocumented. Some say undocumentedly that what is called the 1960s suspension was because of Father Matta's objection to the Coptic Church signing of the Catholic Declaration of the Innocence of the Jews from the Blood of Christ. But also this allegation is not true and undocumented. The saintly Pope Kyrillos VI later insisted that Father Matta absolve and forgive him in the presence of H.E. Metropolitan Mikhail of Assiut.
Early life
Father Matta El Meskeen was born in Benha, elKaliobia, Egypt, in 1919. (One source says he was born in Damanhour, Egypt.) In 1944, he graduated in Pharmacy from the University of Cairo. In 1948, after leading a successful life and establishing a wealthy lifestyle for himself--Eskander at the time was the owner of two pharmacies, two villas, and two cars--he renounced his material possessions, and entered the Monastery of St. Samuel the Confessor in Qualmun (roughly near Maghagha, Upper Egypt). In 1951, he was ordained a priest against his will.
Monastic life
After living for a few years in the Monastery of St. Samuel the Confessor, Matta decided to move out into Wadi El Rayan in the late 1950s. There, he lived as a recluse in the spirit of the ancient Desert Fathers for twelve years. By 1960, seven other monks joined him. The community expanded to twelve by 1964. These twelve monks were sent by Pope Kyrillos VI to Wadi El Natroun in 1969 to develop the monastery of St. Macarius the Great. At that time only six elderly, frail fathers lived near the road between Cairo and Alexandria. Matta and his twelve companions cared for them while reconstructing the monastery. The administrative, agricultural, institutional, and printing/publishing developments at the renewed Monastery of St. Macarius the Great were staggering. But the spiritual revolution was much greater. By 1981 Matta had over eighty monks in the monastery.
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September 15, 2017
Abba Matta of Egypt (or Matthew the Poor) was an Egyptian Coptic Orthodox monk and a pivotal player in the revival of Egyptian monasticism. When he was appointed to the Monastery of St. Macarius in 1969, the number of monks was a mere six. Upon his death in 2006, the community had grown to 130. He was also a very brilliant theologian who wrote nearly 200 books. Ancient Faith Publishing has printed two books by Matthew the Poor - Words for Our Time and Words for Our Lives. Back in 2013, I reviewed the former, and today I would like to tell you about the latter. Words for Our Lives is an approximately 200 page book divided into the following twelve sections:
1. Faith in the Impossible
2. How the Bible Changed My Life
3. The New Man
4. Walk in the Light
5. The Tough Road of Spirituality
6. The Meaning of the Psalms
7. The Power of the Psalms
8. The Value of the Psalms
9. The Sinful Woman
10. Holy Week
11. Feast of the Ascension
12. The Holy Spirit and Pentecost
The works were primarily composed in the 1970s with the first one being written in 1981. Topics covered include the Bible (primarily Psalms) and important Feasts throughout the Church Year. In the chapters on Psalms, Abba Matta explains that "The Psalms are given as a light to illuminate man's way to God and reveal the salvation that binds him to God." It is not to be thought of as an exercise, but instead a gift. He explains that the power of the Psalms are that you can hear God's voice in them, and by meditating on them, they can become "our personal worship, the liturgy of our lives." I particularly enjoyed the chapter on how the Bible changed his life. In this chapter, we receive a very personal account of how he struggled in the monastery initially, and that it was his discovery of the Bible that changed his life. He came to view the Bible as a personal book that was written specifically for him. This is an attitude we should all adopt before reading Sacred Scripture.
Another eye-opening chapter was "The Tough Road of Spirituality." In this chapter, he reveals that saintly people are going to have a tough life no matter where they are. Yes, you come to expect it in the secular world, because they do not understand, but he said that it happened in the monastery as well. This was shocking to me, and I'm not really sure why. We read examples of Catholic and Orthodox saints who lived a monastic life, and they were mocked by their peers, the same people who should be encouraging them, because they were "too holy." Reading these words from him was a slap in the face, and made me question if I do that in my day-to-day life.
Even though the works in this book are almost 40 years old, the words of Abba Matta still ring true today. Overall, I found this to be a very profound book and one that I would recommend all Christians read.
This book was provided to me for free by Ancient Faith Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
1. Faith in the Impossible
2. How the Bible Changed My Life
3. The New Man
4. Walk in the Light
5. The Tough Road of Spirituality
6. The Meaning of the Psalms
7. The Power of the Psalms
8. The Value of the Psalms
9. The Sinful Woman
10. Holy Week
11. Feast of the Ascension
12. The Holy Spirit and Pentecost
The works were primarily composed in the 1970s with the first one being written in 1981. Topics covered include the Bible (primarily Psalms) and important Feasts throughout the Church Year. In the chapters on Psalms, Abba Matta explains that "The Psalms are given as a light to illuminate man's way to God and reveal the salvation that binds him to God." It is not to be thought of as an exercise, but instead a gift. He explains that the power of the Psalms are that you can hear God's voice in them, and by meditating on them, they can become "our personal worship, the liturgy of our lives." I particularly enjoyed the chapter on how the Bible changed his life. In this chapter, we receive a very personal account of how he struggled in the monastery initially, and that it was his discovery of the Bible that changed his life. He came to view the Bible as a personal book that was written specifically for him. This is an attitude we should all adopt before reading Sacred Scripture.
Another eye-opening chapter was "The Tough Road of Spirituality." In this chapter, he reveals that saintly people are going to have a tough life no matter where they are. Yes, you come to expect it in the secular world, because they do not understand, but he said that it happened in the monastery as well. This was shocking to me, and I'm not really sure why. We read examples of Catholic and Orthodox saints who lived a monastic life, and they were mocked by their peers, the same people who should be encouraging them, because they were "too holy." Reading these words from him was a slap in the face, and made me question if I do that in my day-to-day life.
Even though the works in this book are almost 40 years old, the words of Abba Matta still ring true today. Overall, I found this to be a very profound book and one that I would recommend all Christians read.
This book was provided to me for free by Ancient Faith Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
August 27, 2019
There is a line, towards the end of the ninth chapter in this collection of informal talks by Abba Matta, that captures what I love about him: I am neither a preacher nor a professor. I am simply a traveler on the road, pointing out the steps I have trodden and say "Come, let us go together and walk upon the way the fathers have shown us." This is exactly what he does. He was a pharmacist who felt called to leave his profession and worldly life to pray, and he ran to the desert and did so. He had never read the bible in full before becoming a monk, and he realized this was a failing and set about to correct it. These talks are the fruit of his study, and he is happy to share with all of us what his years of study taught him.
The sections on the Psalms are particularly compelling.
Who should read this book? Big Box Store Evangelicals who don't know that there is a contemporary and compelling Christian witness in the desert - that there is a suffering Christian witness that say following Christ is hard but you have to do it anyway.
Also, Eastern Orthodox Christians. My church is not in communion with Matthew the Poor's church, the Egyptian Coptic Orthodox Church. Reading from and learning about the great spiritual masters in these other Orthodox churches, I hope that it will help heal the schism between us and that one day our bishops will right this great wrong.
The sections on the Psalms are particularly compelling.
Who should read this book? Big Box Store Evangelicals who don't know that there is a contemporary and compelling Christian witness in the desert - that there is a suffering Christian witness that say following Christ is hard but you have to do it anyway.
Also, Eastern Orthodox Christians. My church is not in communion with Matthew the Poor's church, the Egyptian Coptic Orthodox Church. Reading from and learning about the great spiritual masters in these other Orthodox churches, I hope that it will help heal the schism between us and that one day our bishops will right this great wrong.
May 5, 2020
I believe that a sign of a good spiritual teacher is that, having read their words, you find yourself desiring to read the scriptures. A desire to read more of their work, or be moved again by their words, may just be a sign of skilled rhetoric or charisma.
Abba Matta makes me want to open up my bible at every page. His enthusiasm for scripture and for the spiritual life is potent throughout the whole book. His wisdom is accessable, spoken plainly, and with great encouragement and softness. That is not to say that there is no challenges presented in the book. Every page seems to offer challenges and monumental spiritual tasks for us. But Abba Matta's kind voice throughout assured me that they need not be impossible tasks, and that we will find great help along the way.
Of particular interest to me were the chapters on the psalms. They are exquisite, and I plan to read the chapter "The Meaning of the Psalms" at least three times over. Few things have filled me with such genuine excitement and desire to dive into the book of psalms.
This is vol 2 of Abba Matta's works in english. I highly recommend this book, even if you have not read the first volume. It stands solidly on its own, and you will not regret the time spent with it.
Abba Matta makes me want to open up my bible at every page. His enthusiasm for scripture and for the spiritual life is potent throughout the whole book. His wisdom is accessable, spoken plainly, and with great encouragement and softness. That is not to say that there is no challenges presented in the book. Every page seems to offer challenges and monumental spiritual tasks for us. But Abba Matta's kind voice throughout assured me that they need not be impossible tasks, and that we will find great help along the way.
Of particular interest to me were the chapters on the psalms. They are exquisite, and I plan to read the chapter "The Meaning of the Psalms" at least three times over. Few things have filled me with such genuine excitement and desire to dive into the book of psalms.
This is vol 2 of Abba Matta's works in english. I highly recommend this book, even if you have not read the first volume. It stands solidly on its own, and you will not regret the time spent with it.
November 7, 2019
I was asked to do an honest review of this book which recounts the sayings of Abba Matta (Matthew) the Poor, who was an Egyptian elder who reposed in the Lord in 2006. Abba Matta was an elder at St Macarius Monastery. I was given the Audible version which I have enjoyed because it is a clear recording and well read. You can sense Abba Matta's meek and humble nature through his words, which burst with spiritual joy and goodness. One of his sentences felt to me like a paragraph of explanation, so deep and simple at the same time. I understand Abba Matta's prayer for God to give him either a long life or to open the eyes of his understanding to the Scriptures. Starting later in my spiritual life, I feel the same way and throughout this book, Abba Matta touches the essence of what man desires from God. Similarly, what God wants from man. I often felt like Abba Matta was speaking directly to me, with suggestions for practical application of God's Word. Little by little, as in our own spiritual journey, Abba Matta explains how the Bible started to open up to him and he felt Christ speaking to him through those words. Christ showed him his faults and sins, and he sensed that these words were speaking directly to him. He points to the need to pray before reading the Bible, as he did, and that he also prayed that the Bible was written for him, in his time. What wonderful words dear brothers and sisters to remember! The Bible is written for us, in our time and this is but one example of how Abba Matta's words are so poignant and direct, and so easy to understand that we can, with God's help, apply them to our lives. Abba Matta properly reminds us that we were aliens without God and without a hope in the world. We need to remember this, where we came from so that we are not lured by the world which promises us endless wealth and pleasures if we abandon God's plan for us. the only thing, says Abba Matta, which satisfies is God's Word. This not to say that he looked down on wealth, since many of Abba Matta's spiritual children were extremely wealthy. But their relationship to God and His word was important. Once we draw near to God, to Christ, our lives will start to correct themselves with His help, says Abba Matta - how we need to remember this in these modern, complicated times! It's so simple, it's something we all know as Christians yet Abba Matta has a way to communicate God's truth so that even an atheist, who came to see Abba Matta with a wealthy friend, came to understand.
Another part of the book (and there are so many to mention here!) which had a great impression on me was about the fluctuations we have in our spiritual lives. This is a reality for many Christians, and it's something that we grapple with as we walk with God. It makes us feel less than a Christian but we need not despair! Abba Matta encourages us in saying that our lives will shift between darkness and light, a rising and falling, a holiness and foulness , honesty and deceit, courage and cowardice - we receive the Word as a double edged sword but when we allow it to infiltrate our soul, it is sharper than any double edged sword and will help us to discern the thoughts and intentions of our hearts. A soul that goes after the flesh, says Abba Matta, is more vile than the flesh itself. And this is it - we are often caught between the flesh and the spirit. This is the battlefield in which we walk each day. Abba Matta will give a simple example to illustrate - tell a worldly man to eat more, and he will eat to the point of gluttony. He will, like so many today, invest his energy into the flesh, food, drink and entertainment. But compare a spiritual man who will say "I have eaten, thank God! I'm content" This man will echo the words of our Lord and say "Man does not live on bread alone. Health and strength comes ultimately from God. The spirit is stronger than the flesh". What an amazing example of the kind of treasures you will find in Abba Matta's words!
I could keep going but then you will need to get this book or audiobook to see for yourselves. This book is a treasure chest and I would highly recommend reading it over and over.
Another part of the book (and there are so many to mention here!) which had a great impression on me was about the fluctuations we have in our spiritual lives. This is a reality for many Christians, and it's something that we grapple with as we walk with God. It makes us feel less than a Christian but we need not despair! Abba Matta encourages us in saying that our lives will shift between darkness and light, a rising and falling, a holiness and foulness , honesty and deceit, courage and cowardice - we receive the Word as a double edged sword but when we allow it to infiltrate our soul, it is sharper than any double edged sword and will help us to discern the thoughts and intentions of our hearts. A soul that goes after the flesh, says Abba Matta, is more vile than the flesh itself. And this is it - we are often caught between the flesh and the spirit. This is the battlefield in which we walk each day. Abba Matta will give a simple example to illustrate - tell a worldly man to eat more, and he will eat to the point of gluttony. He will, like so many today, invest his energy into the flesh, food, drink and entertainment. But compare a spiritual man who will say "I have eaten, thank God! I'm content" This man will echo the words of our Lord and say "Man does not live on bread alone. Health and strength comes ultimately from God. The spirit is stronger than the flesh". What an amazing example of the kind of treasures you will find in Abba Matta's words!
I could keep going but then you will need to get this book or audiobook to see for yourselves. This book is a treasure chest and I would highly recommend reading it over and over.
May 11, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the words of Abba Matta on the audiobook, Words for Our Lives: The Spiritual Words of Matthew the Poor, narrated by Kristina Wenger. This book, for me, was perfectly suited to the audiobook format. His words and teachings were divided up into topical sections and so I could listen to one section, say, while preparing dinner, and then stop and easily resume while driving to the grocery store, for example. It was also helpful for me to read it in snippets because the words of Abba Matta were so beautiful and illuminating that I did not want to rush through it.
The fact that this man lived the Christian life in recent history is what really strikes me. It is so comforting that in this day and age a person can decide, through the influence of the Holy Spirit, to follow his calling and commit his life 100% to Christ, just like the saints and martyrs of the first centuries did. And it’s even more wonderful because then his wisdom is shed through the lens of this modern world and not from say, the fourth century. One story in particular about a relative of his who, through his own fault, was failing medical school illustrates how this contemporary elder can shed spiritual wisdom onto a modern and perhaps mundane issue. Abba Matta did not rebuke his relative for being lazy but rather encouraged him to pray and work and all would be well. That last part is what really struck me. How could he say that? Only a man of tremendous faith could make such a promise.
I can already tell that I will be listening to Abba Matta’s words over and over again because they put me in such a positive frame of mind. They really help to reorient my thoughts and allow me to believe that love and hope and forgiveness are all within my grasp.
The fact that this man lived the Christian life in recent history is what really strikes me. It is so comforting that in this day and age a person can decide, through the influence of the Holy Spirit, to follow his calling and commit his life 100% to Christ, just like the saints and martyrs of the first centuries did. And it’s even more wonderful because then his wisdom is shed through the lens of this modern world and not from say, the fourth century. One story in particular about a relative of his who, through his own fault, was failing medical school illustrates how this contemporary elder can shed spiritual wisdom onto a modern and perhaps mundane issue. Abba Matta did not rebuke his relative for being lazy but rather encouraged him to pray and work and all would be well. That last part is what really struck me. How could he say that? Only a man of tremendous faith could make such a promise.
I can already tell that I will be listening to Abba Matta’s words over and over again because they put me in such a positive frame of mind. They really help to reorient my thoughts and allow me to believe that love and hope and forgiveness are all within my grasp.
October 29, 2022
The sequel to Words for Our Time! I enjoyed this a ton. I liked the first one better, but this one was still absolutely worth the read.
This book continues the premise of the first: it's a collection of "talks" done by the Egyptian monk, Matthew the Poor, that have been collected and translate into English. These talks cover everything from the Psalms to certain Orthodox feast days, and are mainly his discourses to his fellow monks.
Obviously, I continue to love Matthew the Poor's insights and humility and just depth of perspective on the faith. His words continue to be encouraging, shining new light on things we think we know and urging us to draw closer to God, even in our pain. I especially loved his talks on Pentecost and the Ascension. These things are rarely talked about in Protestant spheres, so I appreciated getting a deeper view on how these feasts apply to the lives of the average Christian.
These talks are more geared towards Orthodox monks vs the average layman, like his previous book, so in that regard I think it'll be harder for a non-Orthodox person to read in the correct light, as opposed to the first book that I felt was more accessible. But it's still a fantastic read!
Overall, if you're Orthodox and enjoyed the first one, you'll enjoy this one. This truly was a labor of love on behalf of the translator. What a dear, dear soul. I'm indebted to those who decided his life needed shared with non-Egyptians! I have definitely been touched by his words.
This book continues the premise of the first: it's a collection of "talks" done by the Egyptian monk, Matthew the Poor, that have been collected and translate into English. These talks cover everything from the Psalms to certain Orthodox feast days, and are mainly his discourses to his fellow monks.
Obviously, I continue to love Matthew the Poor's insights and humility and just depth of perspective on the faith. His words continue to be encouraging, shining new light on things we think we know and urging us to draw closer to God, even in our pain. I especially loved his talks on Pentecost and the Ascension. These things are rarely talked about in Protestant spheres, so I appreciated getting a deeper view on how these feasts apply to the lives of the average Christian.
These talks are more geared towards Orthodox monks vs the average layman, like his previous book, so in that regard I think it'll be harder for a non-Orthodox person to read in the correct light, as opposed to the first book that I felt was more accessible. But it's still a fantastic read!
Overall, if you're Orthodox and enjoyed the first one, you'll enjoy this one. This truly was a labor of love on behalf of the translator. What a dear, dear soul. I'm indebted to those who decided his life needed shared with non-Egyptians! I have definitely been touched by his words.
Read
September 11, 2019Words for Our Lives
The spiritual Words of Matthew The Poor
Volume two
This book was given to me to listen to on audible in exchange for a review. Matthew the poor comes from a time very near to ours and while a monk, he gives practical advice anyone can take away. Some of his teachings was dry for me but I must admit my spiritual life is not like those of a monk or that of a pious layperson. Alas, I am working to grow and this book helped show me some of the plank in my eye, if you will.
Matthew the Poor speaks of how important the reading of the psalms and the bible in its entirety, are to your spiritual life. This has really encouraged me to work on picking up my bible and finding more time for God. Definitely more than I had been giving to him, shame on me.
I think this book is perfect for the person looking to go deeper into their faith and relationship with God. He pushes the monks, as that is who he is speaking to mostly, to live their life the very best by following God closely. Achieving this mostly by loving the scriptures and reading them constantly.
So, in conclusion, if you are looking to grow closer to God and are looking for wisdom from someone much wiser than I, than this is your book!
The spiritual Words of Matthew The Poor
Volume two
This book was given to me to listen to on audible in exchange for a review. Matthew the poor comes from a time very near to ours and while a monk, he gives practical advice anyone can take away. Some of his teachings was dry for me but I must admit my spiritual life is not like those of a monk or that of a pious layperson. Alas, I am working to grow and this book helped show me some of the plank in my eye, if you will.
Matthew the Poor speaks of how important the reading of the psalms and the bible in its entirety, are to your spiritual life. This has really encouraged me to work on picking up my bible and finding more time for God. Definitely more than I had been giving to him, shame on me.
I think this book is perfect for the person looking to go deeper into their faith and relationship with God. He pushes the monks, as that is who he is speaking to mostly, to live their life the very best by following God closely. Achieving this mostly by loving the scriptures and reading them constantly.
So, in conclusion, if you are looking to grow closer to God and are looking for wisdom from someone much wiser than I, than this is your book!
March 29, 2020
A Straightforward yet Inspiring and Encouraging Read!
Translator, James Helmy did such a remarkable job of staying true to the Elder Abba Matta of Egypt's words in his informal talks that I felt as if I were sitting in on them as they were happening. I like how Mr. Helmy added explanations for certain points to clarify any possible cultural or doctrinal misunderstandings. There were a couple of such annotations which I thought were unnecessary, such as telling the reader the audience clapped at certain points. However, those were few and far between.
As a cradle Greek Orthodox myself, I still found myself replying aloud "Oh that's right!" to the unique and innovative connections the Elder made. What resonated the most with me is how Elder Abba Matta could speak to people in such a familiar but instructional way. After teaching a concept, he'd immediately say after "I know what you're probably thinking. But Abba..." It's as if he could read my mind because those were the same questions I had and he surely answered them!
*Please note I received a copy of this book only in exchange for my honest review.
Translator, James Helmy did such a remarkable job of staying true to the Elder Abba Matta of Egypt's words in his informal talks that I felt as if I were sitting in on them as they were happening. I like how Mr. Helmy added explanations for certain points to clarify any possible cultural or doctrinal misunderstandings. There were a couple of such annotations which I thought were unnecessary, such as telling the reader the audience clapped at certain points. However, those were few and far between.
As a cradle Greek Orthodox myself, I still found myself replying aloud "Oh that's right!" to the unique and innovative connections the Elder made. What resonated the most with me is how Elder Abba Matta could speak to people in such a familiar but instructional way. After teaching a concept, he'd immediately say after "I know what you're probably thinking. But Abba..." It's as if he could read my mind because those were the same questions I had and he surely answered them!
*Please note I received a copy of this book only in exchange for my honest review.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews