Sing to Your Soul: Volume II

This is an exceptional volume filled with pearls on every page. St. John Chrysostom's vision of the Church is organic: we united to the Church and through that experience Christ initiates us into His salvific Mysteries. This is a world away from an administrative or even institutional model for the Church that can sometimes dominate discourse and, consequently, our thoughts. Of especial importance is St. John's thoughts on the martyric quality of the Church and the Church's relationship (and therefore, our relationship) with the martyrs. In only a few paragraphs, St. John presents us with an antidote to a culture saturated with self-love and pleasure-seeking. Given the topic, it would easy to imagine St. John adopting a superior tone; rather, his tone his encouraging and that of a friend. Just as we are received into the Church, St. John receives us into this timeless wisdom...the wisdom of the martyrs and the Way that Christ teaches.

Dr. David Ford has provided a beautifully translated, easy-to-read volume that is filled with inspiration, compassion, and encouragement. It is clear that Ford has intimate experience with the teachings, stories, and insights expressed in this text; to produce so transparent of a volume is a difficult task that only appears easy and is only possible through experience, familiarity, insight, and wisdom...and, knowing how to translate and compile for the present generation with its particular virtues and challenges.

A welcome translation from the works of St. John Chrysostom. Whether you read the book or are fortunate enough to have Dr. Ford visit your parish, St. John will come to life. There is no doubt that St. John is rightfully known as one of the Three Holy Fathers of the Church from the first century. A great book for daily reflection, study groups, seminarians, pastors and parishioners. Don't forget to add volume one to your library.

Who better than Dr. David Ford, who has such an intimacy with St. John Chrysostom's writings and great love for him, to put together this volume as well as the first volume in the series Sing to Your Soul? The selection of passages in this volume are not only carefully selected and easily readable, but are organized to offer the reader a well-rounded accounting of life in the Church. The versatility of this text as a devotional and catechism will serve the Church well. Of particular importance, however, is the way both volumes offer our youth the wisdom of one of the most beloved saints of our Church. May these volumes find their way especially into the hands of our youth.

We are loving the book you sent. So simple, alive, filled with such love and enlightening. We read a little each night together before closing our eyes.

Volume two of the Sing to Your Soul trilogy is a wonderful second installment! Like volume one, it is filled with beautiful excerpts from the great St. John Chrysostom, arranged topically throughout the book’s eighteen chapters. While the first volume focused on the narrative of salvation history, volume two focuses on “our life in the church,” as the book’s subtitle says. Chrysostom speaks about the nature of the Church in numerous ways: as Christ’s Body, as the Christian’s Mother, as being Heaven on Earth, as the place of joy and rest. He teaches on Baptism, the Eucharist, prayer, the Saints and the importance and the weightiness of the Priesthood: its duties and its responsibilities. The book also includes a concise, insightful commentary on the Lord’s Prayer.

Like in volume one, Dr. David has included valuable footnotes: he references an alternative English translation of each passage so one can compare translations and check context; he also references the Patrologia Graeca, so Migne’s Greek text can be checked and compared if so desired.

Both volumes one and two would make great catechetical material. They also offer excellent devotional material for everyone: there is much to take in, to contemplate and to give praise for.

The book is small, so its easily transportable. St. Tikhon’s Press has done fine job with the look and quality of the book as well.

This is very edifying text; I eagerly await the third and final installment of this trilogy.