The Way of a Pilgrim: And the Pilgrim Continues His Way - Softcover

French, R. M.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0060630175 ISBN 13: 9780060630171

Publisher: HarperCollins, 2010

Synopsis

By the grace of God I am a Christian man, by my actions a great sinner, and by calling a homeless wanderer of the humblest birth who roams from place to place. My worldly goods are a knapsack with some dried bread in it on my back, and in my breastpocket a Bible. And that is all. On the twenty-fourth Sunday after Pentecost I went to church to say my prayers there during the liturgy. The first Epistle of St. Paul to the Thessalonians was being read, and among other words I heard these--"Pray without ceasing." It was this text, more than any other, which forced itself upon my mind, and I began to think how it was possible to pray without ceasing, since a man has to concern himself with other things also in order to make a living. I looked at my Bible and with my own eyes read the words which I had heard, that is, that we ought always, at all times and in all places, to pray with uplifted hands. I thought and thought, but knew not what to make of it. "What ought I to do?" I thought. "Where shall I find someone to explain it to me? I will go to the churches where famous preachers are to be heard; perhaps there I shall hear something that will throw light on it for me." I did so. I heard a number of very fine sermons on prayer--what prayer is, how much we need it, and what its fruits are--but no one said how one could succeed in prayer. I heard a sermon on spiritual prayer, and unceasing prayer, but how it was to be done was not pointed out. Thus listening to sermons failed to give me what I wanted, and having had my fill of them without gaining understanding, I gave up going to hear public sermons. I settled on another plan--by God's help to look for some experienced and skilledperson who would give me in conversation that teaching about unceasing prayer which drew me so urgently. For a long time I wandered through many places. I read my Bible always, and everywhere I asked whether there was not in the neighborhood a spiritual teacher, a devout and experienced guide, to

About this title

Review:

"A truly classic of Orthodox spirituality on the origin and practice of the Jesus Prayer."-- "Gnosis""A profound and beautiful example of a journey toward--rather than away from--[the] self."-- "Mineapolis Tribune"

Synopsis:

A narrative of the geographical wanderings and spiritual search of a crippled Russian peasant provides insight into mid-nineteenth-century Eastern Christianity.

About this edition

• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 0060630175
• ISBN 13: 9780060630171
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 240