Η εν Χριστώ ζωή μου

by John of Kronstadt, Иоанн Кронштадтский, Βασίλειος Μουστάκης (Translator)

Ιεροί λογισμοί μιας οσίας ψυχής

Ένα βιβλίο που αποκαλύπτει την αγιοπνευματική εμπειρία ενός σύγχρονου αγίου της ορθοδόξου εκκλησίας. Γλαφυρή μετάφραση σε σύγχρονη γλώσσα από τον Βασίλειο Μουστάκη.

Ο άγιος Ιωάννης της Κροστάνδης, συγγραφέας του παρόντος βιβλίου, γεννήθηκε σ' ένα χωριό της βόρειας Ρωσίας στις 19 Οκτωβρίου 1829. Οι γονείς του ήταν άνθρωποι θεοσεβείς αλλά πολύ φτωχοί. Παρ' όλο που η υγεία του ήταν πολύ εύθραυστη, από μικρός είχε την ψυχή και τη διάνοιά του επικεντρωμένη στην ορθόδοξη πίστη και στην αγάπη προς την Εκκλησία. Το όνειρό του ήταν να εισέλθει στον Κλήρο, να γίνει ποιμήν ψυχών.

Επωφελούμενος μία κρατική υποτροφία, πήγε να σπουδάσει στη Θεολογική Ακαδημία της Πετρούπολης. Τελείωσε τις σπουδές του το 1855 και έγινε θεολόγος. Ο μεγάλος του πόθος να βοηθήσει τους ξεστρατισμένους χριστιανούς και να συνδράμει τους φτωχούς και εξαθλιωμένους ανθρώπους της εποχής του, τον οδήγησε στην Κροστάνδη, όπου έγινε εφημέριος στην εκκλησία του αγίου Ανδρέα. Αλλά δεν περιορίστηκε μόνο σ' αυτό το έργο. Ανέπτυξε εξαιρετικά μεγάλο κοινωνικό και ανθρωπιστικό έργο που πολύ γρήγορα εξαπλώθηκε σε όλη τη Ρωσία. Από παντού ζητούσαν να τον συναντήσουν, ν' ακούσουν τα θεία λόγια του, ν' απολαύσουν τα χαρίσματά του, να δεχτούν τη βοήθειά του και τα θαύματά του. Η φήμη του ξεπέρασε τα όρια της χώρας.

Ανάμεσα στις δραστηριότητές του ανήκει και το ογκώδες συγγραφικό έργο που άφησε πίσω του. "Η εν Χριστώ ζωή μου" είναι μία σειρά από ιερούς λογισμούς και προσευχές που κατέγραψε στο πνευματικό του Ημερολόγιο.
Το έργο αυτό αγαπήθηκε και μεταφράστηκε σε πολλές γλώσσες.

Genres: Theology, Religion, Spirituality, Christian, Christianity, Nonfiction, Faith

285 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1894

About the author

Ivan Ilyich Sergiev, known to his contemporaries as Fr. John of Kronstadt, was the most revered figure of the Orthodox Church of Russia in the half-century leading up to the Bolshevik revolution of 1917. In 1964 the Russian Orthodox Church outside Russia formally glorified him as a Saint. St John of Kronstadt is best known through his spiritual journal My Life in Christ, that has been read by millions.

Reviews

[Mimi · Rating 5 out of 5]

2020 - I read a couple of pages in the morning with my devotional readings. I started right at the first of the year - and what a year for this to be the book to read. Wonderful meditations on the spiritual life.

2012 - Absolutely amazing, I read a page or two at night, and was greatly edified. This is a book to savor, read, re-read, and ultimately with God's help, internalize.

[George · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took nearly 2 years to complete this book, as I read a about two pages a day. The book consist entirely of short paragraphs of St. John's thoughts on a wide range of topics, including prayer, humility, church life, and the Trinity. I enjoyed each paragraph to varying degrees, as some of them spoke to me more than others. I suppose that it depends where a person is in their life as to how they can integrate these readings into ones life. My only complaint was that he goes quite far in denigrating the theater. This may be due to reasons I am unaware of, as I am not familiar with the theater in late 19th, early 20th century Russia. Modern theater is certainly not without its criticisms, but I don't think that as a category it ought to be disdained.

[Alina · Rating 5 out of 5]

O carte superba plina de intelepciune!

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Detailed observations on almost every aspect of the spiritual life. His focus being on habit, discipline, prayer, and the struggle against the passions. Some of his ideas I liked more than others. For instance:

But if you cease writing, sewing, knitting, or if you only do them sporadic-ally, you will write, sew, and knit badly. If you do not exercise yourself in composition, or do so sporadic-ally, if you live in the material cares of life only, it will become difficult for you even to connect a few words together, especially upon spiritual subjects-the work will seem like a Herculean labor. If you cease praying, or pray only sporadically, then prayer will become oppressive to you. If you do not fight against your passions, or only do so sporadically and feebly, you will find it very difficult to fight against them, and you will often be conquered by them. They will give you no rest, and your life will be poisoned by them if you do not learn how to conquer these evil, inward enemies that always seek to settle in your heart. Therefore, labor and activity are indispensable for everyone.

It is unpleasant for an envious man when he is required to wish his enemies well. It is uncomfortable for a vindictive man when forgiveness and reconciliation are required of him. It is uncomfortable for one who loves money to be reminded of paying his debts. It is uncomfortable for a glutton when he is reminded of fasting and of the salvation of his soul. But they should all conquer their feelings, their passions, and joyfully fulfill that which is required of them, by the Gospel. Otherwise, by giving themselves up without remorse, irremediably to their passions, they will be eternally lost.

At the same time, I found myself disagreeing with some of his conclusions regarding prayer, charity, and God's mercy. He suggests, for instance, that distracted prayer or charity performed with mixed motives is of little spiritual benefit. I can see the logical link (between unworthy reception of communion and unworthy prayer, for instance) but I still think prayer, even troubled or confused prayer, is valued by God.

Which is not to say there isn’t better and worse prayer. But it is to say, well, God factored in how stupid and easily distracted you would be when he made you. You should obviously ceaselessly seek to improve your prayer, but your prayer not being perfect is not somehow offensive to God.

Same when it comes to charity, he says charity done for the wrong reason, or without 100% joy in the heart of the giver is of no benefit to the giver. But how can this be? Is not the simple act of participating in charity changing the nature of the giver into one closer to Christ? So on those areas I found more disagreeable.

But still a very interesting read. Would be ideally suited to reading small amounts every day as a supplement to daily prayers.

[Paul Henderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book. So much wisdom is contained in this book. A lot that can be applied to every situation. Whenever I need some advice, I just open up the pages and something there from Saint John is exactly what was needed at that moment.
From his personal words you also get to understand Saint John better. He was also human, not perfect, he struggles with life. His Diary obliterates the ignorant notions of “perfect saints” and makes saints similar to all of us. This in Turn gives hope to all of us to strive more to follow their examples.

[John E. Koniditsiotis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!

It is a book full of spiritual information that fits our lives today! I recommend it to anyone looking for spiritual guidance.

[William Tu · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good book, full of spiritual insights. Every 5-10 paragraph, I would save one paragraph for good retention. Nearly every paragraph is about a different topic, and all are about Christian spirituality. Recommend this book to people of all backgrounds.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not done with this book, but am marking it as 'Read' because I may be reading it for many years to come. I try to read a page or two every day. The book is well set up for this: it's made up of fairly short, intense sections, each of which more or less stands on its own. Challenging, holy texts, strongly recommended for anyone seeking to follow Christ.

[Bassant Fahmy · Rating 5 out of 5]

كتاب رائع جدا للاب يوحنا كرونستادت (كاهن روسى ) ،الكتاب عبارة عن مجموعة تاملات روحية عميقة جدا باسلوب سهل وسلس فى التعبير وهى مقسمة الى فقرات (يمكن قراءة اى جزء منه فى اى وقت لانها غير مترابطة ) ، هذه التاملات مملؤة بالمحبة والسلام والرجاء ، روح الكتاب هادئة ومطمئنة ومريحة جدا للنفس ..هذا الكتاب اضافة جميلة لكل مكتبة .

[Bojan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I must say I didn't particularly enjoy St. John's diary. There are some great thoughts in it. That alone makes it a good read. However, I myself am not a fan of train of thought writing.

[G Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

A regular companion...