The Communion of Love

Matthew the Poor strikes one as a modern Desert Farther, with the same sympathy, clarity, and rectitude of those earlier Christian writers. This book is one to study and digest, using insights to enhance one's own spiritual struggles and understanding. It is as important as his earlier works.

What are Patristics? The study of the Early Church Fathers? The continual tradition or theology of the Church Fathers? If the last definition is right, then Matthew the Poor's "The Communion of Love" will give a clear refreshing read. Most ancient Patristics dealt with defending against that days heresy or refining the dogmas or mystery of the Church. Some did write about how to read the Bible, the meaning behind certain verses, & how to live your Life with spiritual power, but most lacked a vision of modern problems, or how modern thinking (Rationality or Subjectivity) could cloud spiritual reality.Matthew the Poor is a modern Coptic monk, part of the Oriental Orthodox Christian Church. He was a rich pharmacist living in Egypt, who just after World War II gave up everything & went to the desert to start a monastery. In 1971 he was one of 3 men to be nominated to become the Coptic Pope (not like the Roman Catholic Pope, but the highest Bishop in Egypt). Before his death he could heal people & feed the animals by his hands (like St. Francis of the Roman Catholic or St. Seraphim of the Russian Orthodox). Therefore in this book Matthew the Poor as a converted modern man writes to modern man revealing issues & topics with such spiritual wisdom that few can do today. Read didaskalex's great review below & the others for a listing of the topics.

Matthew the Poor is a professional pharmacist who left a life of worldly success to seek the face of God in silence in the desert. That he was called to this vocation by a strong and authentic yearning is clear from his concise, but riveting theological explanations. There is no waste in this book. Every sentence is packed with insight into scripture and wisdom not easily matched in today's theological bookstores. No fluff, no self-aggrandizement, just humble and pure exposition of his learnings from his personal communion with Love Himself. Among countless spiritual and theological treatises available today, this one stands with the great masters. The final chapter on unity in the Church through ecumenism is alone worth the cost.

Fr Matthew the Poor is certainly a hidden treasure. His depth, spiritual insight and understanding in his writings can be benefitted from by anyone. There are very few Coptic Orthodox writers who's works are this readily available.He does not write about topics for monks, but topics that will touch the heart of every beliver. I recommend this book to anyone who is searching for the depths of Orthodox spirituality.

This is the only book available in English written by this Egyptian Christian monk and holy man. It is a collection of some of his writings, and presents an illumination of the Gospel that begins with a chapter titled 'How to Read the Bible' that cuts deep into the heart of our understanding. We in the west always seem to be subjecting the words of the Bible to our understanding of them, and this Father shines a light on the way of reading that brings one into proper relationship with God's word without the error of subjecting it to the intellect, but in fact subjecting the intellect to it...A [partial] list of chapter titles might prove helpful:Christ of the Old and New Testaments The Christ of History: A Living Christ The Hidden Aspect of the Nativity The Righteousness of Humility Repentance and Asceticism in the Gospel The Deep Meaning of Fasting Between Ressurrection and Ascension The Holy Spirit in Dogmatic Theology and in Ascetic Theology The Virgin in the Theology of the ChurchAbba Matte is not yet well known in the west. He will become more well known as more and more of his works gets translated into English, and as this little book makes its rounds from person to person. His monastery in the desert, some 50 miles southwest of Cairo, draws as many as 500 visitors a day now...