Season of Repentance: Lenten Homilies of Saint John of Kronstadt Paperback – March 1, 2015

What a beautiful collection of inspiring sermons that for the first time are produced to reach the English-speaker's ears (and heart)! The sermon on Thomas Sunday, placed at the end of the book, is a caution for everyone inclined to too much celebration on holy days. I plan to make reference to its warnings time and again. The saint has a unique gift to bring us to spiritual compunction and birth within us the desire to approach God and be healed of our spiritual wounds.

This is a wonderful read for Lent or anytime you want to remind yourself of Christ's great sacrifice for us. The sermons are short (3-4 pages) and organized by the feast days and Sundays of Lent. So you can read this book almost daily throughout Lent. I felt myself very encouraged by St John's words and exhortations. Recommended for all Orthodox Christians!

Well written translation with beautiful words from Father John. Would recommend to everyone

The book, Season of Repentance, begins with homilies for the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee. This is one of my favorite passages in the Bible, and unfortunately the Roman Catholic Church only reads it in Church once every three years. In the first homily for this Sunday, he discusses how publicans and Pharisees still figuratively exist in today's day and age. He explains how pride and self-praise coupled with humiliation of others is a disease of the soul. In the second homily for this Sunday, he talks about not judging others sins, because we have our own sins. He also mentions that every time we do a good deed that we should forget it, because as the Bible says, "We have done what was our duty to do." These excerpts/summaries are just the tip of the iceberg with this book.Most of the Sundays during and before Great Lent have several homilies associated with them, except for the Third Sunday which has one homily and the Sixth Sunday which does not have a homily at all. You can choose to read all of them for that particular Sunday or just read one a year and visit the other homilies the following years. There are also homilies associated with Great Monday, Great Wednesday, and Great and Holy Friday. There is also an epilogue or bonus homily for Thomas Sunday. My only wish for this book is that there were homilies for Palm Sunday and Pascha to accompany these great Lenten homilies. That small wish aside, these are great homilies filled with Scripture and practical advice that still applies one hundred years later. If you are looking for something to read this Great Lent, then pick up a copy of Season of Repentance.

You have to really read into the text to fully enjoy all the dimensions of St. John's writings.