Book Review

Seek First the Kingdom!

A Practical Guide to Living the Orthodox Life

By Fr. Cornel Todeasa

Theology / Inspirational

Regina Orthodox Press, 2005

Seek First the Kingdom is high theology made accessible as Father Cornel takes his readers lovingly by the hand and gently invites them to participate in a genuine dialogue with what it means to be an Orthodox Christian. These anecdotal / autobiographical stories are about his encounters with the faith in all of its aspects: the sacraments, worship, prayer, fasting, almsgiving, martyrdom, spiritual guides and his acquaintances with others, from Bishops to the laity.

Whether he depicts his days as a young orthodox layperson in his Romanian village with the influence of his Aunt, Mother Apolinaria and the sometimes hard counsel of Father Arsenie, or his more recent years as an orthodox priest in America, his stories all carry the essential theme of the wonder, the glory and the comfort that God can offer us when we allow Him into our everyday lives.

Take, for example, the chapter, “We Should Have Our Roots in Heaven,” where Father Cornel discusses the hardship he often felt as an immigrant trying to establish roots in a new country, while leaving behind his homeland. But then, he comes to the conclusion that by concentrating on feeling that he didn’t quite fully belong to either country, he was missing the whole point and that “. . . our roots should be in Heaven with the things of God. These are the roots I should be growing. I am comforted by knowing that this feeling of not belonging anywhere, of not having roots anywhere on this earth, might be the beginning of finally ‘growing roots’ in the right place” (50).

These essays, which reveal Father Cornel’s own positive outlook and love for life, for others and for God, shine with the light of the Holy Spirit. His purpose is to assure us, that within each one of us, there exists an Inner Kingdom, infinite in its depth and possibilities – the same Kingdom that is yet to come. Likewise, he addresses the spiritual detours that can keep us from opening our eyes and our minds to the fact that the Gates of Heaven are all around us as illustrated in the Chapter, “We Must Cultivate Our Own Soil, when he says, “. . . we are as good as our soil is. Therefore, we must care for, cultivate, and nurture our own soil so that the seeds – the Word of God – will grow and produce fruit” (32).

Seek First the Kingdom is a valuable guide and practical approach to the Orthodox life, which should be read by everyone: the novice, the pioneer of the faith and those who simply want to learn more about Orthodox Christianity.

Author Note: Father Cornel Todeasa was born in Transylvania, Romania and received a Doctorate of Theology at the University of Oradea. He is presently the Head Priest at St. Dimitrie Romanian Orthodox Church in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

**Seek First the Kingdom can be ordered through St. Dimitrie Book Store by calling (203) 261-1149, or through Regina Orthodox Press Book Store.

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