December 2015 On the Shelf
Advent and Christmas Wisdom From Pope Francis
John Cleary
Liguori Publications $11.99
The commencement of a new liturgical year each Advent always includes an invitation, the Holy Father suggests in this book. The Church invites us to pray “come,” to draw closer to the loving Jesus as we anticipate and celebrate his coming, and to “open our souls in watchfulness.” We are invited to consider if there is room for the Lord, to ask ourselves, “Are our souls open…as Mary’s soul was open? Or have we closed our souls and put a note on the door saying: ‘Please do not disturb?’” John Cleary has designed this collection of daily devotions to be used from the first Sunday of Advent through the Christmas season, that we might accept the Church’s life-giving invitation. Each entry begins with the words of Pope Francis, taken from homilies, letters, addresses, and interviews. Scripture, prayer, and an encouraging useful activity accompany his teachings. Let your Advent and Christmas journey be a worthy one, guided and strengthened by the humble, holy words of our beloved shepherd.
Jesus Is the Gift
Regis J. Flaherty
Emmaus Road Publishing $12.95
Our first Advent goal, suggests best-selling author and speaker Regis J. Flaherty, is to “worthily celebrate the anniversary of God’s coming in history.” He says there is “much to discover about ourselves” as we intentionally mark the days guiding us to Christmas. Those who figure prominently in the biblical narratives about this time of year provide wisdom, encouragement, and inspiration, whether as preparers of or witnesses to the Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us. Expanding on his series of Advent retreats, Flaherty suggests approaching this book similarly: “in smaller bites, perhaps a chapter at a time, prompting a continued preparation for and contemplation of the Incarnation of our Lord.” He invites us to ponder with Mary, to rejoice with Elizabeth and Zechariah, to repent with John the Baptist, to make haste with the shepherds, to look up with the Magi and to behold with Simeon and Anna. Each chapter concludes with a point for reflection and a plan of action to continue receiving and sharing the gift of Jesus through all the sacred seasons of the year.
Gifts of the Visitation
Denise Bossert
Ave Maria Press $14.95
In all likelihood, no one would have questioned the decision of young, pregnant Mary had she chosen to remain home in Nazareth rather than take the risks to be with her cousin Elizabeth in the Judean countryside beyond the Old City of Jerusalem, almost ninety miles away. Yet Mary’s readiness and courage, along with Elizabeth’s joyful reception, are just several of the gifts of grace present in the blessed friendship of these two women and the encounter the Church commemorates as the visitation. In her debut book, artfully combining memoir and meditation, syndicated columnist Denise Bossert extracts nine “natural and miraculous endowments”— also including spontaneity, humility, thanksgiving, adventure and awe—gifts we might access as well by choosing to welcome God into our relationships. “We are all called to pray, ‘God, I’m yours. Use what you can. Lead where you will,’” she writes. As Bossert shares her own story, we are encouraged to embrace and express these gifts so we also might bear Christ to the world. To make this an Advent novena, read nine gifts over nine days.
The Legend of Saint Nicholas
Anselm Grün and Giuliano Ferri
Eerdmans Books $16
There are many colorful tales told of Nicholas, the fourth-century bishop of Myra in Asia Minor. Stories of his thoughtfulness and charity abound, along with miracles attributed to this man beloved by countless. Miracles include the multiplication of grain that ended famine, rescuing sailors stranded at sea, and distributing his inheritance to aid the desperately poor. The few hard historical facts have never diminished our admiration and the desire to share his story, particularly at Christmastide. In this brief, beautiful hardcover edition, youngsters will find the perfect introduction to St. Nicholas. Legends and traditions both familiar and lesser known will instruct and inspire. Expressive illustrations should captivate even the smallest among us as parents, grandparents, or older children read aloud. Let these lessons of compassion and generosity inspire all to live by his example.
Red, White, Blue and Catholic
Stephen P. White
Liguori Publications $9.99
Does your Catholic faith make a difference in how you vote? In generations past, the Catholic vote was commonly a distinctive and determining coalition in American electoral politics. Not so today, maintains Stephen P. White, a fellow in the Catholic Studies Program at the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, DC. His work there focuses on applying Catholic social teaching to contemporary political and cultural topics. In this writing he aims to reconnect the Church’s guidance with important national issues. “At the heart of good citizenship is love,” White insists. To that end, he is firm: Become the best Catholics we can be, living our faith wholeheartedly. Not “red-state” and “blue-state” Catholics, but those whose love and care are grounded in our rich traditions and deepest convictions. Chapters examine the Catholic understanding of citizenship, what the Church brings to society, and how being Catholic shapes our thinking about law and freedom. A timely read indeed.
