In this second part of Homily 71, On the Fashioning of Creation, Jacob treats the making of the firmament: what it was, where it was, what – as far as can be determined – was placed above it and what below it, its purpose and utility for humanity, and the importance of its place in the Genesis account of the six day progression of creation.

Isaac the Syrian lived the solitary life in the 7th century. He was born in Qatar and subsequently lived in present day Iraq and Iran. After life as a monk, then briefly as a bishop, he withdrew to live the solitary life. These discourses are primarily for solitaries to consolidate them in the love and mercy of God. In this volume, the text of Isaac V has also been included because of the light which it sheds on Apocatastasis, of increasing interest in academic and ecclesial circles.

In recent decades certain historians have intimated that Byzantine society - and monastics in particular - suffered from a lack of sleep (whether described in negative terms as sleep deprivation or sleep abstinence). Sleep-abstinence surely permeated Byzantine society: it is encountered in every age, sex and class, together with its institutions, beliefs, practices, rituals, morals and mythologies. However, sleep is a biological phenomenon as well. One cannot possibly appreciate the Byzantines' stance towards it, nor assess the veracity, aims and effectiveness of their ideas and attitudes in relation to sleep-abstinence, unless one is ready to tackle the biological aspect. Moreover, without the biological aspect, the claim that the Byzantines were sleep-deprived is impossible to substantiate. This book approaches this subject by using a bio-cultural method, which combines sleep medicine with theology, history, and critical research, in order to analyse the practice of sleep-abstinence and the attitudes towards sleep in Byzantium. Focusing on Greek documentary sources, this book investigates whether Byzantines did indeed practice sleep abstinence or sleep deprivation, and their rationales for curtailing their sleep. Chapters cover the mechanics of sleep in the modern world and in the ancient world, the place of monastic vigil, and the vigil of the laity.

Mercy has been the defining characteristic of Pope Francis’ papacy – a papacy that has captured the hearts and minds of believers and non-believers alike. It’s little wonder then that the Holy Father has announced 2016 as the Extraordinary Year of Mercy. In The Message of Mercy, Amalee Meehan considers the subject of mercy, not only through a careful reading of relevant Scripture passages, but by exploring revealing extracts from literary classics and pertinent, sometimes surprising, examples from popular culture. This engaging and encouraging work calls on readers to question their own understanding of mercy – towards both themselves and others – and in so doing foster a deeper, more fulfilling relationship with God.

This beautifully designed book of prayers and reflections, thoughtfully compiled by Ailís Travers, is the ideal gift for teenagers and young people. Containing words of wisdom from poets, philosophers, leaders and saints, it provides solace and comfort for teenagers as they cope with the ups and downs of life. Proceeds from this book will go to the Blue Ribbon Fund, which was set up to provide practical financial support to families of those who need to travel for heart transplantation surgery.

Five homilies by Jacob of Sarug on women whom Jesus met: the Canaanite Woman, the Samaritan Woman, the Hemorrhaging Woman, the Woman Bent Double, and Jairus' Daughter.

In this third part of Homily 71, On the Fashioning of Creation, Jacob treats the God's separation of the waters from the earth, and the bringing forth of vegetation on the newly-revealed dry land.

An English translation of André Scrima's 1952 work on Apophatic Anthropology. Pascalian in essence, the approach departs from the Augustinian roots of Western Christian theology and develops a Christian anthropology based on Eastern Orthodoxy. The endeavor of a human being to understand oneself does not lead, as in the case of Pascal, to identification with Jesus Christ’s suffering, but further, to an attempt of deification, theosis, in which the main concept is Incarnation. This attempt opens to man the possibility to conceive himself as interior to God. Man becomes therefore the physical and metaphysical bridge between creation and the uncreated, the only creature that bears the image of God.

This volume is part of a series of English translations of the Syriac Peshitta along with the Syriac text carried out by an international team of scholars. Loopstra has translated the text, while Kiraz has prepared the Syriac text in the west Syriac script, fully vocalized and pointed. The translation and the Syriac text are presented on facing pages so that both can be studied together. All readers are catered for: those wanting to read the text in English, those wanting to improve their grasp of Syriac by reading the original language along with a translation, and those wanting to focus on a fully vocalized Syriac text.

Part of a series of fascicles containing the bilingual Syriac-English editions of Saint Jacob of Sarug’s homilies, this volume contains his homilies on Praise at Table. These homilies offer a glimpse into the efforts of one late antique author to construct distinctly Christian meaning from the experience of communal meal-sharing. The Syriac text is fully vocalized, and the translation is annotated with a commentary and biblical references. The volume is one of the fascicles of Gorgias Press’s The Metrical Homilies of Mar Jacob of Sarug, which, when complete, will contain all of Jacob’s surviving sermons. Recognized as a saint by both Chalcedonian and non-Chalcedonian Christians alike, Jacob of Sarug (d. 521) produced many narrative poems that have rarely been translated into English. Of his reported 760 metrical homilies, only about half survive.

This volume offers an array of theological and sociological studies on Family, Love, and Marriage in the Eastern Orthodox tradition. As new ways of understanding these institutions and concepts emerge in a modern society, this compilation sponsored by the Sophia Institute of Eastern Orthodox Studies incorporates a revisiting of biblical and Patristic understandings as they are received in the wider Orthodox Christian perspective.

If life is a journey, shouldn’t we ensure that every moment, experience and relationship enhances, rather than detracts, from it? In this practical and warm-hearted guide, life coach Marian Byrne provides simple yet effective ways to change our daily routines and to combat negative thinking. The advice presented here has worked for countless others – it really is tried and tested. By challenging ourselves to make those first small steps towards change and to embrace a new mindset, we can add life to our years and enhance our life journey immeasurably.

Four women are formally part of the magisterium – the official teaching body of the Roman Catholic Church. Here, theologian Mary T. Malone adeptly explores the stories of these visionaries. She introduces us to the wisdom of the formidable Hildegard of Bingen; the all-encompassing compassion of Catherine of Siena; the groundbreaking writings of Teresa of Ávila; and finally, the heartfelt ‘Little Way’ of the much-loved Thérèse of Lisieux. This timely and engrossing work brings to life the trials and triumphs of these inspiring women, whose bravery and intellectual prowess opened the door for new discussions on the role of women in the Church.

To celebrate Pope Francis’ declaration of 2016 as the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, Anna Burke ponders the nature and quality of mercy in this considered book of reflections. By exploring a series of pertinent Gospel questions, The Quality of Mercy highlights how, in practising forgiveness and charity, we are living out Christ’s teachings in the most fundamental way. Jesus taught us that mercy can take many forms, and may not always appear in obvious guises. We must learn to understand what mercy means for our life journey, but, more importantly, we must learn to give it generously, in the spirit that Christ intended.

Pope Francis’ Encyclical Letter Laudato Si': On Care for Our Common Home was published in June 2015 to widespread praise from such people as the Ban Ki Moon, Secretary General of the United Nations and Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland. While previous popes have spoken about the environment, this is the first time that an entire encyclical has been devoted to the environment and human ecology. In Life’s Delicate Balance, Sr Nellie McLaughlin provides an impassioned companion piece to this landmark publication. Following sincere reflection upon the text of Laudato Si', Nellie exhorts people everywhere to pay heed to the pope's call to save our planet from destruction. With core questions included for reflection and action, this clear and concise book is an urgent and timely wake-up call in its own right.

The Compendious Commentary by the Church of the East monk Dadishoʿ Qaṭraya (7th cent.) was originally written in Syriac but was eventually translated into Garshuni or Syro-Arabic. It is a work aimed at immersing the novice monk in the spiritual lore of the monastic vocation, and saturating his mind and spirit with advice and warnings about the pitfalls of aiming to be perfect while remaining nevertheless an imperfect human being. This is a critical edition and translation of the Compendious Commentary in Garshuni that uses all available manuscripts.