The Lenten Journey: Spiritual Reading for Great Lent

For the Eastern Orthodox Church, Great Lent is the seven week period before Pascha (Easter) during which the faithful fast from certain foods and, more importantly, from sin.  In order to enter more fully into the Passion and Resurrection of our Lord, we repent through the traditional disciplines of prayer and fasting.  Over the next several weeks, I will be posting articles in this series entitled “The Lenten Journey” in which I share resources, ideas, and meditations to help us all make ready for Christ’s resurrection–and our own.

This Sunday is Zacchaeus Sunday, a signal that Lent is right around the corner.  During Great Lent, Orthodox Christians traditionally try to minimize outside distractions (including media and television) in order to focus on the spiritual realities at hand.

One way to do this is by engaging in spiritual readings during Lent.  These include readings from The Bible, Church fathers, and contemporary writers and theologians.  Here are some recommendations for:

Spiritual Readings for Great Lent

The Way of A Pilgrim translated by Olga Savin

The Way of a Pilgrim is a classic in Orthodox spirituality, which tells the story of a pilgrim who longs to learn how he can fulfill St. Paul’s command to “Pray without ceasing.”  He begins a journey that takes him to dozens of spiritual fathers and leads him to learn The Jesus Prayer.  The Jesus Prayer is a simple prayer that one can learn in a minute, but also a profound prayer that one can pray for a lifetime.

“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Have mercy on me, A sinner.”  I read The Way of a Pilgrim last Lent and was deeply convicted by it.  I will be making it a Lenten discipline to read the book each year.

Wounded by Love by Elder Porphyrios

Elder Porphyrios (now Saint Porphyrios) was an Orthodox monk and priest who died 25 years ago.  This is a compilation of his writings with deep spiritual truths showing his love for Christ, meditation on Christ’s love for mankind, humility, repentance, and life lived in service and love of others.  Read it with a pencil handy for taking notes.  Read it a paragraph or page at a time to be able to meditate and ponder.  Read to learn more about the depth and height and breadth of love.  Just read it.

Great Lent: Journey to Pascha by Fr. Alexander Schmemman

Father Alexander Schmemman gives an insightful overview of Great Lent:  its meaning, the services, week by week analysis, and more.  As a new convert, I found Great Lent to be incredibly helpful as I strove to understand what was going on in this new liturgical context in which I happily found myself.  I highly recommend this book for those interested in learning more about Eastern Orthodoxy and its Lenten traditions.

The Trial of Job by Fr. Patrick Henry Reardon

The book of Job is read at Vespers during Great Lent.  If you would like to contemplate this complex book in great depth, this short book by Father Patrick Reardon is for you.  Reardon gives a two page commentary on each chapter of the biblical book–explaining historical context, offering textual insight, and thoughts for meditation.

Close to Home by Molly Sabourin

I cried, laughed, and said, “That is so me!” at least a dozen times while I was reading this book.  Molly Sabourin shares her family’s journey to Orthodoxy, her struggles as a wife and mother, and the depth of our faith in a fantastically engaging book.

On Living Simply by John Chrysostom

During Great Lent, we try to simplify our lives so we can focus on Christ.  For many this means giving charitably to others, for others it involves serving the poor, others try to simplify their schedules to allow more time for prayer and spiritual reading.  St. John Chrysostom has great insight into simple living that is still applicable to us fifteen hundred years later.

The Orthodox Study Bible

Traditionally, the books of Genesis, Exodus, Job, and Proverbs are read during Great Lent.  Along with the Psalter, these would make excellent spiritual reading.

On My Nightstand

During Great Lent, in addition to re-reading The Way of a Pilgrim, I hope to read the following:

Bread & Water, Wine & Oil: An Orthodox Christian Experience of God by Father Meletios Webber

I am looking forward to reflecting more upon the mysteries of our faith in the sacraments of the Church.

Faith, Food, and Fasting by Rita Madden

Madden explores our approach to eating and food in general, and fasting in particular.  As someone who has had a complicated relationship with food, I am looking forward to thinking more about it through this new book.

As we prepare for Great Lent, let us spend time in prayer and spiritual reading.  Let us draw near in faith and in love.

What books will you read during Great Lent?

(Linked to Quick Lit, Small Victory Sunday.)

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