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The Blessing of Christmas: Meditations for the Season by Joseph Ratzinger (Benedict XVI)
This lovely little book, profusely illustrated, is ideal for the Christmas and Advent season with its inspiring, profound, yet popular meditations on the blessings of the season by the current Pope. Taken from his sermons as well as his writings, these beautiful meditations by the acclaimed spiritual teacher, writer and now Pontiff, give his usual fresh insights into the deeper meaning of this most wondrous event, and show the Pope to be a man who knows how to address both the mind and the heart. Lavishly illustrated throughout with classic color art.
Hardcover
First published August 31, 2005
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About the author
Pope Benedict XVI
943 books941 followersOriginally
Joseph Ratzinger
, a noted conservative theologian before his election in 2005, Benedict XVI strove against the influence of secularism during his papacy to defend traditional Catholic teachings but since medieval times first resigned in 2013.
After Joseph Ratzinger served a long career as an academic and a professor at the University of Regensburg, Pope Paul VI appointed him as archbishop of Munich and Freising and cardinal in 1977. In 1981, he settled in Rome as prefect of the congregation for the doctrine of the faith, one most important office of the Roman curia. He also served as dean of the college of cardinals.
Benedict XVI reigned 265th in virtue of his office of bishop of Rome, the sovereign of the state of Vatican City and the head of the Church. A conclave named him on 19 April 2005; he celebrated his inaugural Mass on 24 April 2005 and took possession of his Lateran cathedral basilica of Saint John on 7 May 2005.
Benedict XVI succeeded Saint John Paul II, predecessor and his prolific writings on doctrine and values. Benedict XVI advocated a return to fundamental Christian values to counter the increase of many developed countries. Relativism denied objective truth and moral truths in particular; he viewed this central problem of the 21st century. With the importance of the Church, he understood redemptive love of God. He reaffirmed the "importance of prayer in the face of the activism" "of many Christians engaged in charitable work." Benedict also revived a number and elevated the Tridentine Mass to a more prominent position.
Benedict founded and patronized of the Ratzinger foundation, a charitable organization, which from the sale of books and essays makes money to fund scholarships and bursaries for students across the world.
Due to advanced age on 11 February 2013, Benedict announced in a speech in Latin and cited a "lack of strength of mind and body" before the cardinals. He effectively left on 28 February 2013.As emeritus, Benedict retained the style of His Holiness, and the title and continued to dress in the color of white. He moved into the newly renovated monastery of Mater Ecclesiae for his retirement. Pope Francis succeeded him on 13 March 2013.
(more info on Ratzinger Foundation: https://www.ewtn.com/library/Theology...)
After Joseph Ratzinger served a long career as an academic and a professor at the University of Regensburg, Pope Paul VI appointed him as archbishop of Munich and Freising and cardinal in 1977. In 1981, he settled in Rome as prefect of the congregation for the doctrine of the faith, one most important office of the Roman curia. He also served as dean of the college of cardinals.
Benedict XVI reigned 265th in virtue of his office of bishop of Rome, the sovereign of the state of Vatican City and the head of the Church. A conclave named him on 19 April 2005; he celebrated his inaugural Mass on 24 April 2005 and took possession of his Lateran cathedral basilica of Saint John on 7 May 2005.
Benedict XVI succeeded Saint John Paul II, predecessor and his prolific writings on doctrine and values. Benedict XVI advocated a return to fundamental Christian values to counter the increase of many developed countries. Relativism denied objective truth and moral truths in particular; he viewed this central problem of the 21st century. With the importance of the Church, he understood redemptive love of God. He reaffirmed the "importance of prayer in the face of the activism" "of many Christians engaged in charitable work." Benedict also revived a number and elevated the Tridentine Mass to a more prominent position.
Benedict founded and patronized of the Ratzinger foundation, a charitable organization, which from the sale of books and essays makes money to fund scholarships and bursaries for students across the world.
Due to advanced age on 11 February 2013, Benedict announced in a speech in Latin and cited a "lack of strength of mind and body" before the cardinals. He effectively left on 28 February 2013.As emeritus, Benedict retained the style of His Holiness, and the title and continued to dress in the color of white. He moved into the newly renovated monastery of Mater Ecclesiae for his retirement. Pope Francis succeeded him on 13 March 2013.
(more info on Ratzinger Foundation: https://www.ewtn.com/library/Theology...)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
December 25, 2024
Update: Also great for Christmas.
Perfect Advent reading and it starts with a discussion of Advent and its meaning.
Perfect Advent reading and it starts with a discussion of Advent and its meaning.
January 10, 2026
Just beautiful! Pope Benedict XVI is easy to read, but the depth of his words is profound. This book has 7 Advent and Christmas homilies, sprinkled with sacred art. I think I picked this up at a Half Price Books at some point (I "rescue" books from the Catholic section all the time!) This will be an annual little read for me.
January 12, 2023
"It is in the child Jesus that we see most clearly the defenseless of God's love. God comes without weapons, because he does not want to conquer from the outside but to win us over from within and to transform us from within. If anything can conquer the arrogance, the violence, and the greed of man, it is the utter vulnerability of a child in order to conquer us in this manner and to lead us to himself."
I'll never tire of reading Pope Benedict's beautiful writing, so full of tenderness and pastoral concern. This was a beautiful way to enter into the Christmas season. I especially appreciated his reflection on the connection between Hanukkah and Christmas: "Christ has banished the pagan idols from the world. He has constructed the temple of his body. He has reestablished the glory of God."
I'll never tire of reading Pope Benedict's beautiful writing, so full of tenderness and pastoral concern. This was a beautiful way to enter into the Christmas season. I especially appreciated his reflection on the connection between Hanukkah and Christmas: "Christ has banished the pagan idols from the world. He has constructed the temple of his body. He has reestablished the glory of God."
December 12, 2021
Short reflections by Pope Benedict XVI to help prepare my heart during Advent.
December 29, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I had wanted to read this book last year and it was just as lovely as I imagined it.
This book is actually two books in one. It is comprised of two earlier works by Joseph Ratzinger “Licht, das uns leuchtet” (The light that shines upon us; 1978) and “Lob der Weihnacht” (Praise of Christmas; 1982, by Cardinal Ratzinger and Heinrich Schlier).
There are some beautiful reflections. You can easily get through this book in a day. But it’s better to take your time and sit with each reflection. The very first chapter of this book was about being sick; “An Advent Dialogue with the Sick.” This called out to me because, at the time, I’ve been very sick. And it was a spiritual reminder that even in sickness and weakness we can bring that to God. It is still a time of waiting.
The iconography/ images of paintings in the book were an excellent touch. All the images were selected to complement the theme of the chapter. We was a great touch of both Lectio and Visio Divina.
——
"His existence as a child corresponds in a unique way to his divinity, which is the divinity of the "Son". And this means that his existence as a child shows us how we can come to God and to deification. This also explains the meaning of his words: "Unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven" (Mt 18:3)."
"The ox and ass are not simply products of the pious imagination: the Church's faith in the unity of the Old and New Testaments has given them their role as an accompaniment of the Christmas event. We read in Isaiah: "The ox knows its owner, and the ass its master's crib; but Israel does not know, my people does not understand" (1:3)."
"In the second Mass of Christmas [we pray]: "May the light of faith shine in our words and actions." This makes Christmas a very practical matter. To look at the star [Jesus incarnate] means receiving light and giving light, radiating in the world around us the light that we have received, so that it can provide orientation to others, too."
"This is what Bethlehem teaches us about peace: peace among men comes from the glory of God. If we are concerned about men and their well-being, we must first of all be concerned about the glory of God. The glory of God is not a private matter left to the arbitrary whim of the individual; it is a matter of public concern. It is a common good, and where God is not honored among men, man too cannot be honored.”
I had wanted to read this book last year and it was just as lovely as I imagined it.
This book is actually two books in one. It is comprised of two earlier works by Joseph Ratzinger “Licht, das uns leuchtet” (The light that shines upon us; 1978) and “Lob der Weihnacht” (Praise of Christmas; 1982, by Cardinal Ratzinger and Heinrich Schlier).
There are some beautiful reflections. You can easily get through this book in a day. But it’s better to take your time and sit with each reflection. The very first chapter of this book was about being sick; “An Advent Dialogue with the Sick.” This called out to me because, at the time, I’ve been very sick. And it was a spiritual reminder that even in sickness and weakness we can bring that to God. It is still a time of waiting.
The iconography/ images of paintings in the book were an excellent touch. All the images were selected to complement the theme of the chapter. We was a great touch of both Lectio and Visio Divina.
——
"His existence as a child corresponds in a unique way to his divinity, which is the divinity of the "Son". And this means that his existence as a child shows us how we can come to God and to deification. This also explains the meaning of his words: "Unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven" (Mt 18:3)."
"The ox and ass are not simply products of the pious imagination: the Church's faith in the unity of the Old and New Testaments has given them their role as an accompaniment of the Christmas event. We read in Isaiah: "The ox knows its owner, and the ass its master's crib; but Israel does not know, my people does not understand" (1:3)."
"In the second Mass of Christmas [we pray]: "May the light of faith shine in our words and actions." This makes Christmas a very practical matter. To look at the star [Jesus incarnate] means receiving light and giving light, radiating in the world around us the light that we have received, so that it can provide orientation to others, too."
"This is what Bethlehem teaches us about peace: peace among men comes from the glory of God. If we are concerned about men and their well-being, we must first of all be concerned about the glory of God. The glory of God is not a private matter left to the arbitrary whim of the individual; it is a matter of public concern. It is a common good, and where God is not honored among men, man too cannot be honored.”
December 12, 2018
A silent way to get into the Christmas spirit ... remembering that Christmas isn’t about a specific day as it about a specific person - the Child.
“Silence means developing the inner senses, the sense of the conscience, the sensitivity to the eternal in us, the ability to listen to God.” J.Ratzinger
“Silence means developing the inner senses, the sense of the conscience, the sensitivity to the eternal in us, the ability to listen to God.” J.Ratzinger
December 13, 2018
Beautiful reflections on the meaning of Christmas. It could used as a special resource for Advent. Not too long and not too abstract and difficult. It is also illustrated with some beautiful related artworks.
January 1, 2016
A decent meditation on Christmas with a few golden moments.
December 26, 2023
This is a beautiful little book that actually manages to treat Christmas - my favourite Christian holiday - with a level of reverence, insight and solemnity I have rarely had the pleasure of reading before. Too many Christmas books, to me, just seem to focus on the modern, earthly matters of Christian living, replete with sentimental anecdotes of neighbourliness and celebration. Of course, there is nothing wrong at all with that, so far be it from me to complain. I have just been left, all the same, with a thirst for something deeper, more spiritually profound, more joyously beautiful in that supernatural kind of way only Christmas can be.
Finally, I have found a book to satisfy that craving. And I think I shall henceforth try and read this most, if not quite every, future Christmas I am blessed to experience. For this reason, I did come very close to giving it a full five stars. But, in the end, I decided to be a little more conservative and go with a very strong four - as if there was anything I could slightly criticise it for, it's that I wish it was a good deal longer.
Finally, I have found a book to satisfy that craving. And I think I shall henceforth try and read this most, if not quite every, future Christmas I am blessed to experience. For this reason, I did come very close to giving it a full five stars. But, in the end, I decided to be a little more conservative and go with a very strong four - as if there was anything I could slightly criticise it for, it's that I wish it was a good deal longer.
November 29, 2016
Beautifully profound work which shows Joseph Ratzinger to be more than a masterful theologian, he is also an exquisite man of prayer and reflection.
There are some real gems in here but this one seemed to capture the whole of the book:
"One who sees believes. But have we seen? Is it not rather the case that we have remained blind? Do we ever see anything other than ourselves alone and our reflection? If we are to see something outside ourselves, it must find a correspondence within ourselves.
Let us therefore allow the mystery of this day to open our eyes and make us see. For then we will automatically live as men who have the gift of sight, as men who do not think only of themselves and do not know only themselves.
There are some real gems in here but this one seemed to capture the whole of the book:
"One who sees believes. But have we seen? Is it not rather the case that we have remained blind? Do we ever see anything other than ourselves alone and our reflection? If we are to see something outside ourselves, it must find a correspondence within ourselves.
Let us therefore allow the mystery of this day to open our eyes and make us see. For then we will automatically live as men who have the gift of sight, as men who do not think only of themselves and do not know only themselves.
December 23, 2018
It was a good book on the topic of Christmas. It is written by Pop Benedict XVI, and therefore from a Catholic perspective. BUT I encourage you to consider this book, if you are not Catholic, is it is a great resource to provide insight into the Catholic tradition and backgrounds of Christmas.
December 20, 2019
I immensely enjoyed about half of these devotionals. It's a short book, so easy to spend time in during the Advent season, but don't think that it will be light fare. The devotions often hit deep notes of reflection and joy within me. A few were misses (for me) so that's why I dropped a star.
December 22, 2023
I am a Baptist, not a Catholic, so I disagree with many of his preconceptions, but this book demonstrated what a brilliant thinker Ratzinger was. It is rich and thoughtful in its implications, and left me much to chew on. Highly recommended.
February 22, 2018
Engaging, thoughtful collection of essays on Christmas, from the profoundly gifted and empathetic Pope Benedict XVI.
January 4, 2019
Excellent read during the preparation of Christmas. Very easy to read and follow.
December 11, 2019
Brilliant, thoughtful, and heart-engaging devotional on Advent.
December 19, 2019
Some good reminders for the Christmas season from Pope Benedict XVI.
December 26, 2019
A beautifully rich but completely accessible book door people pondering the deepest meaning of Christmas. So much to be unpacked that I will be returning to it again.
December 14, 2020
An annual re-read. Useful teachings and, as always with Papa Ben, well-sourced and very thoughtful.
January 6, 2021
Encountering Christ in the mystery of the incarnation.
December 27, 2021
7 beautiful reflections on the Joy of
Christmas in our lives.
Christmas in our lives.
December 24, 2024
Wise words from Pope Benedict XVI which helped me spiritually prepare for Christmas.
January 15, 2026
Uno de mis favoritos. Un libro que aborda, de manera breve, pero preciosa y teológicamente, el origen cristiano.
June 21, 2016
One who believes sees. But have we seen? Is it not rather the case that we have remained blind? Do we ever see anything other than ourselves alone and our reflection? If we are to see something outside ourselves, it must find a correspondence within ourselves.
Let us therefore allow the mystery of this day to open our eyes and make us see. For then we will automatically live as men who have the gift of sight, as men who do not think only of themselves and do not know only themselves.-- Benedict XVI
Let us therefore allow the mystery of this day to open our eyes and make us see. For then we will automatically live as men who have the gift of sight, as men who do not think only of themselves and do not know only themselves.-- Benedict XVI
December 9, 2015
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, so much so that I almost read it in its entirety in one sitting. Had I realized how close I was to the end I would have gone on and finished it. As it is I finished it in two sittings, which for me is a rarity.
This book is actually a compilation of two books that Pope Benedict XVI wrote back in the late 1970's when he was an Archbishop in Germany. They were recompiled and republished as The Blessings of Christmas after he became pope.
It is a very easy read, and I highly recommend it!
This book is actually a compilation of two books that Pope Benedict XVI wrote back in the late 1970's when he was an Archbishop in Germany. They were recompiled and republished as The Blessings of Christmas after he became pope.
It is a very easy read, and I highly recommend it!
January 8, 2012
This is a wonderful little book and, as the back cover reads, "ideal for the Advent and Christmas season." Reading this served as another reminder of the what a profound mind our Holy Father has. The book brings together a series of homilies and writings that were written when he was still Archbishop of Munich in 1977 and they read as freshly as if written yesterday. It is beautifully illustrated and the artwork selections are wonderful companions to the meditations.
May 30, 2024
Reading this as Advent approaches.
Also, an interesting note, in a seminar I attended a while ago, the priest/speaker mentioned that this year, 2023, will be the 800th year that the Church marks the start of the tradition established by St Francis of Assisi in Greccio, Italy of using the crib, the Belen or the creche as a sacramental that helps us meditate on the first Christmas night. This fact was also mentioned in this book. What a year to have read this in this book!
Also, an interesting note, in a seminar I attended a while ago, the priest/speaker mentioned that this year, 2023, will be the 800th year that the Church marks the start of the tradition established by St Francis of Assisi in Greccio, Italy of using the crib, the Belen or the creche as a sacramental that helps us meditate on the first Christmas night. This fact was also mentioned in this book. What a year to have read this in this book!
December 18, 2009
A nice little meditation on Christmas. This book is a grouping of several meditations that were given separately. This is one of those books that I will probably read each Advent to help me stay focused on Christ during the rush of Christmas.
January 28, 2016
Summary: Pope Benedict XVI's homilies for Advent.
Review: I really enjoyed this book. I found a lot of points for meditation, and, as is typical of Pope Benedict SVI. I know that if I read it again next year it would yield completely different fruit.
Review: I really enjoyed this book. I found a lot of points for meditation, and, as is typical of Pope Benedict SVI. I know that if I read it again next year it would yield completely different fruit.
February 3, 2013
A great book. Insightful in the few pages, also with artwork. It is a combination of two other writings by Pope Benedict XVI. A nice read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews