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In Conversation with God: Meditations for Each Day of the Year, Vol. 1: Advent, Christmas, Epiphany
Author Francis Fernandez-Carvajal makes generous use of the writings of the great saints as he brings you focused and moving meditations on themes taken from the Mass readings for that day, the liturgical season, and more. This work is rich and extensive enough to serve as your spiritual reading for a lifetime, as it helps you relate the particulars of the message of Christ to the ordinary circumstances of your day. Each volume is small enough for you to carry it to Adoration or some other suitable place for meditation. The whole set comes with a handsome slipcase that prevents wear-and-tear on the individual volumes.
387 pages, Vinyl Bound
First published June 1, 1989
5 people are currently reading
71 people want to read
About the author
Francisco Fernández-Carvajal
252 books38 followersFrancisco Fernández-Carvajal, natural de Albolote, Granada, es Licenciado en Historia por la Universidad de Navarra y Doctor en Derecho Canónico por el Angelicum de Roma. Sacerdote de la Prelatura del Opus Dei. Durante más de diez años fue Redactor-Jefe de la revista Palabra.
Es uno de los autores contemporáneos de obras de espiritualidad más conocido.
En Ediciones Palabra ha publicado Hablar con Dios, del que se han editado más de dos millones de ejemplares. Esta gran obra contiene más de quinientas cincuenta meditaciones para cada día del año. Ha sido traducida al inglés, francés, italiano, portugués, alemán, holandés, rumano, eslovaco, checo y polaco. Actualmente se está llevando a cabo la traducción al ruso y al húngaro.
También en esta misma editorial se han publicado -con numerosas reediciones- otras obras suyas: Vida de Jesús, Donde duerme la ilusión (La tibieza), Hijos de Dios (en colaboración con Pedro Beteta), Quédate conmigo, Como quieras Tú (meditaciones sobre la Pasión del Señor), El día que cambié mi vida, Antología de textos para la oración y la predicación, y Para llegar a puerto (El sentido de la ayuda espiritual).
Es uno de los autores contemporáneos de obras de espiritualidad más conocido.
En Ediciones Palabra ha publicado Hablar con Dios, del que se han editado más de dos millones de ejemplares. Esta gran obra contiene más de quinientas cincuenta meditaciones para cada día del año. Ha sido traducida al inglés, francés, italiano, portugués, alemán, holandés, rumano, eslovaco, checo y polaco. Actualmente se está llevando a cabo la traducción al ruso y al húngaro.
También en esta misma editorial se han publicado -con numerosas reediciones- otras obras suyas: Vida de Jesús, Donde duerme la ilusión (La tibieza), Hijos de Dios (en colaboración con Pedro Beteta), Quédate conmigo, Como quieras Tú (meditaciones sobre la Pasión del Señor), El día que cambié mi vida, Antología de textos para la oración y la predicación, y Para llegar a puerto (El sentido de la ayuda espiritual).
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 5, 2024
I began using this series of devotionals soon after my conversion so I've been reading them fairly steadily for over 20 years. The amazing thing is that they never get old and I consistently find inspirational material in them. Once again I am beginning the new liturgical year with this volume for some Advent (and Christmas) reading.
I have yet to find a devotional that is better or more complete. Following the daily Mass readings, topics range from the sacraments and virtues to family interaction and friendship. The sensible and down-to-earth writing is enhanced by quotes from saints, elsewhere in the Bible, Church documents, etc. I especially enjoy the fact that this was translated from the original Spanish, meaning that things applying to my daily life and problems are exactly the same things faced by people in Spain, or, indeed, around the world.
Even after so long, there is new food for thought and for "conversation." Also, I realize how much I have been formed as a Catholic by the overall message about living daily life by sharing our small joys and sorrows with Christ. One could do much worse.
I have yet to find a devotional that is better or more complete. Following the daily Mass readings, topics range from the sacraments and virtues to family interaction and friendship. The sensible and down-to-earth writing is enhanced by quotes from saints, elsewhere in the Bible, Church documents, etc. I especially enjoy the fact that this was translated from the original Spanish, meaning that things applying to my daily life and problems are exactly the same things faced by people in Spain, or, indeed, around the world.
Even after so long, there is new food for thought and for "conversation." Also, I realize how much I have been formed as a Catholic by the overall message about living daily life by sharing our small joys and sorrows with Christ. One could do much worse.
backburner
January 13, 2020January 12, 2020: Set aside as we have moved into Ordinary Time. Will return to this next Advent.
December 31, 2019: I have had these FOR-EVER (this book is one in a series of 7 covering the entire year) and though I have dipped into them off and on, now and then, I have never used them with anything resembling regularity and certainly never completed the entire year. This is one of my 2020 Goals, to read from this during my prayer time. Though I have already missed 1/2 of this book, I will (God willing) finish the other half at the end of this year. Yesterday's reflection was already VERY inspirational!
December 31, 2019: I have had these FOR-EVER (this book is one in a series of 7 covering the entire year) and though I have dipped into them off and on, now and then, I have never used them with anything resembling regularity and certainly never completed the entire year. This is one of my 2020 Goals, to read from this during my prayer time. Though I have already missed 1/2 of this book, I will (God willing) finish the other half at the end of this year. Yesterday's reflection was already VERY inspirational!
January 12, 2025
This book is a terrific tool for personal private prayer, especially during the preparation time of Advent. It includes daily readings usually following the theme of the daily mass. Fernandez weaves in his daily teaching quotes from great saints. thinkers, popes, and scripture. I enjoy it because while it is very accessible to even beginner Catholics it has great depth of knowledge and teaching that could merit further study. This can be used as a entry point for daily meditation. The other positive is that the daily readings are not very long can be completely normally in about 10 minutes.
January 25, 2016
This is a must each Advent and Christmastime for me!
January 28, 2020
Beautiful collection of meditations every day in the spirit of Opus Dei. Like the founder, St. Josemaria Escriva, he writes with with an eye toward the practical.
January 12, 2026
I had the seven volume series on my bookcase for years and finally started reading them last March. I'll finish the last one by Easter. I'm glad I didn't procrastinate any longer.
January 6, 2023
Sometimes when I start to read a book, I know it will be so good I do not mark in it the first time I read it through. This series falls into that category. However, this being my second time through these books, I am now underlining, making notes in the margins and reading much deeper than my first time through last year. As such, I will just state that these are awesome devotional books and deserve the time and attention of a 6 or 7 page devotion each day. They will help you grow closer to Christ, and through that, to the other people in your life.
This volume spans the time from the first Sunday of Advent till either January 12th or the Second Sunday after the Ephiphany. Thus this book has 51 devotions for this joyous Church Season. If you cannot afford the whole set, start with this volume or the Lent and Eastertide volume, then add the others over time. It is usually cheaper to buy the boxed set but sometimes that amount of money is not available up front.
Rather than going on and on in my own words, I will share a few of the quotes I underlined this year and copied into my journal. They will give you a sampling of the quality and diversity of the writing in this volume in this series:
"We are not only precursors, however; we are also witnesses to Christ. Together with the grace of Baptism and Confirmation, we have received the honourable duty of making our faith in Christ known through our words and our deeds." p.60, 61
"We have to act in such a way that others will be able to say, when they meet us: This man is a Christian, because he does not hate, because he is willing to understand, because he is not a fanatic, because he is willing to make sacrifices, because he shows that he is a man of peace, because he knows how to love." p.62
"Mastery of oneself - which is part of true meekness - is the weapon of those who are really strong; it prevents us from answering back too quickly and from speaking wounding words which afterwards we wish we had never said. Meekness knows how to wait for the right moment, and to express its judgments in a way that carries conviction." p.86
"The purpose of the examination of conscience is to get to know ourselves better, in order to become more receptive to the graces the Holy Spirit pours out upon us, and to grow to resemble Christ himself." p.107
"If we make a habit of attentively reading and meditating on the Holy Gospel every day, we shall, in a sense, take part in the life of Christ; we shall get to know him better everyday; and, perhaps without our realizing it, our life in the world will come to be a reflection of his." p.130
"As we raise up our minds and hearts in prayer, we can enquire of ourselves: Am I seeking God in my work or in my study, in my family, out in the street … in everything? Am I daring in my doing apostolate? Does Our Lord want more of me?" p.189
"We have to be attentive, because Our Lord also shows himself in the normal events of every day. May we know how to recover this interior light, which for us breaks through the monotony of days which are all the same, and find Jesus in our Ordinary life!" p.328
These are but a few of the Gems in this book that I found this year. And I am sure that next year will have just as many. Hopefully these samplings will whet your appetite for these great books.
(They are now available as eBooks.)
This volume spans the time from the first Sunday of Advent till either January 12th or the Second Sunday after the Ephiphany. Thus this book has 51 devotions for this joyous Church Season. If you cannot afford the whole set, start with this volume or the Lent and Eastertide volume, then add the others over time. It is usually cheaper to buy the boxed set but sometimes that amount of money is not available up front.
Rather than going on and on in my own words, I will share a few of the quotes I underlined this year and copied into my journal. They will give you a sampling of the quality and diversity of the writing in this volume in this series:
"We are not only precursors, however; we are also witnesses to Christ. Together with the grace of Baptism and Confirmation, we have received the honourable duty of making our faith in Christ known through our words and our deeds." p.60, 61
"We have to act in such a way that others will be able to say, when they meet us: This man is a Christian, because he does not hate, because he is willing to understand, because he is not a fanatic, because he is willing to make sacrifices, because he shows that he is a man of peace, because he knows how to love." p.62
"Mastery of oneself - which is part of true meekness - is the weapon of those who are really strong; it prevents us from answering back too quickly and from speaking wounding words which afterwards we wish we had never said. Meekness knows how to wait for the right moment, and to express its judgments in a way that carries conviction." p.86
"The purpose of the examination of conscience is to get to know ourselves better, in order to become more receptive to the graces the Holy Spirit pours out upon us, and to grow to resemble Christ himself." p.107
"If we make a habit of attentively reading and meditating on the Holy Gospel every day, we shall, in a sense, take part in the life of Christ; we shall get to know him better everyday; and, perhaps without our realizing it, our life in the world will come to be a reflection of his." p.130
"As we raise up our minds and hearts in prayer, we can enquire of ourselves: Am I seeking God in my work or in my study, in my family, out in the street … in everything? Am I daring in my doing apostolate? Does Our Lord want more of me?" p.189
"We have to be attentive, because Our Lord also shows himself in the normal events of every day. May we know how to recover this interior light, which for us breaks through the monotony of days which are all the same, and find Jesus in our Ordinary life!" p.328
These are but a few of the Gems in this book that I found this year. And I am sure that next year will have just as many. Hopefully these samplings will whet your appetite for these great books.
(They are now available as eBooks.)
December 20, 2011
Love this! Each year, I feel that it is the first. Bad memory perhaps! Powerful, practical and full of spiritual nuggets!
December 5, 2019
26/100 (= 1.5/6) ≈ 1 Stars
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews