ROBERT F. MORNEAU’s Daily Reflections for Advent & Christmas: Waiting in joyful hope 2016-17 is a very small pocket book by a retired RC bishop. It includes scripture readings, prayer, and meditation for each day, as well as a reflection (Liturgical Press, £1.99 (£1.80); 978-0-8146-4864-3).
Lighted Windows: An Advent calendar for a world in waiting by Margaret Silf is an updated and revised edition of her 2002 book (BRF, £7.99 (£7.20); 978-0-85746-432-3).
Songs for a Saviour’s Birth: Journey through Advent with Elizabeth, Mary, Zechariah, the angels, Simeon and Anna, by William Philip, Minister at the Tron Church, Glasgow, is a devotional study, with endnotes, of the Gospel canticles and the angelic hymn (IVP, £6.99 (£6.30); 978-1-783-59447-4).
The Advent Color & Sound Set with Gregorian Chant: An imaginative pathway to stillness and beauty in the Advent season combines an Advent colouring book and a CD with 66 minutes of chant sung by the Gloriae Dei Cantores Schola, conducted by Mary Berry (Paraclete Press, £19.99 (£17.99); 978-1-61261-908-8).
The Evangelical theologian J. I. Packer’s Knowing God Through the Year offers daily reflections compiled and edited by Carolyn Nystrom from Packer’s influential book Knowing God, which was originally published in 1973 (Hodder & Stoughton, £14.99 (£13.50); 978-1-473-63979-9). This is a hardback.
The Irish Jesuits (Messenger Publications) have published Martin Hogan’s To Know the Love of Christ: Weekday reflections for liturgical year 2016/2017 (£12.99 (£11.70); 978-1-910248-50-8); Donal Neary SJ’s Gospel Reflections for Sundays of Year A: Matthew (£8.50 (£7.65); 978-1-910248-32-4); and Sacred Space: The prayer book 2017 (from the website www.sacredspace.ie; £10.99 (£9.90); 978-1-910248-53-9). As well as reflections on the readings, the latter includes something to think and pray about for each week.
Sacred Reading: The 2017 guide to Daily Prayer, by Douglas Leonard, Executive Director of the Apostleship of Prayer, is another Roman Catholic resource, arranging its suggestions under six daily imperatives: “Know. Read. Notice. Pray. Listen. Ask.” (Ave Maria Press/Alban, £11.99 (£10.80); 978-1-59471-695-9).