THE new church year in Common Worship means that with
Advent comes a return to Year A of the cycle of readings.
Journeying with Matthew: Lectionary Year A by
James Woodward, Paula Gooder, and Mark Pryce follows previous
volumes in the same series on Mark and Luke, providing background
information and stimulus for preachers and others (SPCK, £9.99
(£9); 978-0-281-05903-4).
Bob Hartman's Bible Stories Through the Year: Lectionary
readings for year A retold for maximum effect provides
suggestions for delivery of the RCL readings which distribute the
text between speakers with a theatrical touch (Lion Hudson, £12.99
(£11.70); 978-0-85721-329-7).
Jim Rosenthal's From the Holly Jolly to the Holy:
Reclaiming the sacred during Advent and Christmas provides
daily sermonettes for Advent Sunday to Epiphany. Instead of
fighting the cultural importance of Santa Claus, Rosenthal enlists
the help of St Nicholas, not to mention that of Scrooge and Bing
Crosby, to help busy readers deepen their sense of joy and holiness
(Morehouse/Forward Movement, www.forward
movement.org, $4; 978-08802-8357-1).
The Living Gospel: Daily devotions for Advent
2013 by Brendan McGuire, a Roman Catholic, offers two
pages for each day, with a short reading, a longer meditation, an
act of the will, and a short opening and closing prayer (Ave Maria
Press/Alban Books, £2.99 (£2.70); 978-1-59471-383-5).
Advent with the Pastoral Epistles by Graham
Sawyer, a priest in Blackburn diocese, provides a commentary for a
few verses every day in Advent (Village Digital Press, £8.95;
978-1-4921-6267-4).
Day by Day: A treasury of meditations on mindfulness to
comfort and inspire by Sister Stan (Stanislaus Kennedy),
of the Sisters of Charity in Dublin, is a walk through a whole
year, or a book to dip into: short daily thoughts, with
wide-ranging quotations, and nine essays, eight by others, such as
the Abbot of Glenstal (on gratitude), and the Irish Times
columnist Tony Bates (on kindness) (Transworld Ireland, £10 ;
978-1-848-27166-1).