Watch for the Light: Readings for Advent and Christmas
Though Christians the world over make yearly preparations for Lent, there's a conspicuous lack of good books for that other great spiritual season: Advent. All the same, this four-week period leading up to Christmas is making a comeback as growing numbers reject shopping-mall frenzy and examine the deeper meaning of the season. Ecumenical in scope, these fifty devotions invite the reader to contemplate the great themes of Christmas and the significance that the coming of Jesus has for each of us - not only during Advent, but every day. Whether dipped into at leisure or used on a daily basis, Watch for the Light gives the phrase "holiday preparations" new depth and meaning. Includes writings by Christoph Friedrich Blumhardt, Sylvia Plath, J. B. Phillips, Friedrich Wilhelm Foerster, Henri Nouwen, Bernard of Clairvaux, Kathleen Norris, Meister Eckhart, St. Thomas Aquinas, Karl Rahner, Isaac Penington, Madeleine L'Engle, Alfred Delp, Loretta Ross-Gotta, William Stringfellow, J. Heinrich Arnold, Edith Stein, Philip Britts, Jane Kenyon, John Howard Yoder, Emmy Arnold, Karl Barth, Oscar Romero, William Willimon, Johann Christoph Arnold, Gail Godwin, Leonardo Boff, G. M. Hopkins, Evelyn Underhill, Dorothy Day, Brennan Manning, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Romano Guardini, Annie Dillard, Martin Luther, St. John Chrysostom, Giovanni Papini, Dorothee Soelle, C. S. Lewis, Gustavo Gutiérrez, Philip Yancey, J. T. Clement, Thomas Merton, Eberhard Arnold, Ernesto Cardenal, T. S. Eliot, John Donne, Gian Carlo Menotti and Jürgen Moltmann. It's hard to go wrong with 40 essays and poems from theological writers such as Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Dorothy Day, Madeleine L'Engle, Martin Luther, Kathleen Norris, Henri Nouwen, Philip Yancey, Karl Barth and Síren Kierkegaard. These are not frivolous, feel-good Advent readings; they are deep, sometimes jarring reflections, many with a strong orientation toward social justice... This collection, born of obvious passion and graced with superb writing, is a welcome even necessary addition to the glutted holiday bookshelves.-- Publishers Weekly This stunning collection of some of the best spiritual writers of all time comes from Plough, the exceptionally thoughtful, high-quality publishing house founded by a simple-living community. What a delight to have seasonal readings from theological voices like Jürgen Moltmann, mystics like Bernard of Clairvaux, poets -- from Sylvia Plath to T.S. Eliot to Jane Kenyon -- contemplatives such as Henri Nouwen, and storytelling writers like the late Brennan Manning.-- Hearts and Minds Books TABLE OF CONTENTS Christoph Friedrich Blumhardt: Action in Waiting Sylvia Plath: Black Rook in Rainy Weather J. B. Phillips: The Dangers of Advent Friedrich Wilhelm Foerster: Meditation Henri Nouwen: Waiting for God Bernard of Clairvaux: In Defense of Humility Kathleen Norris: Annunciation Meister Eckhart: Where God Enters St. Thomas Aquinas / Karl Rahner: The Divine Dawning Isaac Penington: Concerning the Light Madeleine L'Engle: A Sky Full of Children Alfred Delp: The Shaking Reality of Advent Loretta Ross-Gotta: To be Virgin William Stringfellow: The Penitential Season J. Heinrich Arnold / Edith Stein: From the Stable to the Cross Philip Britts: Yielding to God Jane Kenyon: Mosaic of the Nativity John Howard Yoder: The Original Revolution Emmy Arnold: Christmas Joy Karl Barth: To Believe Óscar Romero / William Willimon: The God We Hardly Knew Johann Christoph Arnold: Be Not Afraid Gail Godwin: Genealogy and Grace Leonardo Boff: The Man Who Is God Gerard Manley Hopkins / Evelyn Underhill: The Light of the World Dorothy Day: Room for Christ Brennan Manning: Shipwrecked at the Stable Dietrich Bonhoeffer: The Coming of Jesus in Our Midst Romano Guardini: The Holy Mother Annie Dillard: Bethlehem Martin Luther: To You Christ is Born St. John Chrysostom: The Mystery Giovanni Papini: Ox and Ass Dorothee Soelle: The Christmas Gospel C. S. Lewis: The Grand Miracle Gustavo Gutiérrez: Christ's History, and Ours Philip Yancey: The Visited Planet Jane Tyson Clement / Thomas Merton: The Time of No Room Eberhard Arnold: When the Time Was Fulfilled Søren Kierkegaard: Only a Rumor Ernesto Cardinal: The Wise Men T. S. Eliot: The Journey of the Magi John Donne: The Showing Forth of Christ Gian Carlo Menotti: Love Alone Jürgen Moltmann: The Disarming Child Plough Publishing House Pub Date: September 22, 2014 1.15" H x 7.66" L x 5.38" W 344 pages hardcover