Conversing with God in Advent and Christmas: Praying the Sunday Readings with Lectio Divina

by Stephen J. Binz

Lectio divina is an ancient spiritual practice that can help us to hear God speaking to us through the words of Scripture. In recent times, Pope Benedict XVI and a synod of bishops have recommended that lay people pray with the Scriptures using this method.

In this book, respected biblical scholar Stephen J. Binz chooses the first Mass reading and the gospel reading for each Sunday in cycles A, B, and C during Advent, as well as for the major feast days in the Christmas season. Then he leads readers through the steps of lectio divina—reading, meditation, prayer, contemplation, and action—by suggesting themes and verses on which to focus.
--Discussion questions are provided for both of the Sunday readings.
--A perfect resource for both individuals and parish groups.
--Includes the complete text of the readings.

“The wisdom and power of God’s word can change our heart, our minds—and our very lives! Conversing with God in Advent and Christmas will lead you more into the heart of God, his love for us, and his desire to unite us to himself. Give it to yourself as a gift that can draw you into a deeper life with God. Give it to your friends as a pre-Christmas gift. Neither you nor they will be disappointed.”
—Sr. Ann Shields, SGL, author, speaker, and host of the radio show Food for the Journey

“The Christmas holiday season easily becomes frenetic, a time when listening to and cherishing God’s Word is a challenge. Thus, Stephen Binz’s book is a most welcome gift. He provides practical ways for Christians to treasure within our hearts the word of God proclaimed in Advent and Christmas, to grow in intimacy with the Word-made-flesh, and to be transformed into people of joyful expectation who bear witness to Christian hope.”
—Thomas D. Stegman, SJ, Boston College School of Theology and Ministry

“Stephen Binz opens for us a vision of how God’s word, delivered long ago, is still an advent for us today. He alerts us to those moments when a scriptural word or phrase speaks to our hearts and then encourages us to pause and open ourselves to the communion with God that we all long to experience.”
—Gregory J. Polan, OSB, Abbot of Conception Abbey and professor of Scripture at Conception Seminary College, Conception, Missouri


Stephen J. Binz is a Catholic biblical scholar, a sought-after speaker, and the author of more than thirty books on Scripture, including the popular Conversing with God series for The Word Among Us Press. He has studied at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome and the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and has led numerous pilgrimages to biblical lands. He lives in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

191 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 1, 2012

About the author

Stephen J. Binz is a biblical scholar, writer, and speaker, with graduate studies from the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome and Jerusalem. He has written over three dozen books in biblical theology and spirituality. His books have earned first and second place awards from the Catholic Press Association and three First Place awards from the Catholic Publishers Association’s Excellence in Publishing Awards.

As a popular speaker, Stephen Binz addresses audiences at national and regional conferences, offering keynotes, seminars, and workshops. His audiences include the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress, the Mid-Atlantic Congress, the National Catholic Education Association, and Fashion Me People. He is also an active member of the Society of Biblical Literature and the Catholic Biblical Association.

He is the founder and author of Threshold Bible Study (Twenty-Third Publications), Ancient-Future Bible Study (Brazos Press), Lectio Divina Bible Study (OSV Publications), and the Conversing with God in Scripture series (Word Among Us Press). All of his books in print may be found at his website: www.Bridge-B.com

He lives in Baton Rouge, LA, where his wife Pamela is a member of the School of Music faculty at Louisiana State University.

Reviews

[Julie Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Bible ends with the words of Christ, "Yes, I am coming soon," and with the ancient prayer of the Church, "Come, Lord Jesus!" (revelation 22:20). The word "Advent" is derived from the word adventus, which means "coming." In Advent we're reminded of how much we need a savior, and we look forward to our Savior's coming in majesty even as we prepare to remember his coming in humility at Bethlehem.

Stephen Binz is a passionate advocate of Lectio Divina, the ancient practice of studying and praying using Scripture. The point of lectio divina is to personally encounter God and that is something I can relate to very well since I can't count the number of times I have had "aha!" moments of connection when I'm reading. Now, lectio divina isn't precisely that sort of thing, so it is something that I work at. I want to read too fast, I don't want to stop and reflect, and so forth.

This is where Stephen Binz's books are so valuable. He has a love for this practice which shows in the way they are written. First he takes readers deep into the meaning of Advent with our ancestors in Israel longing for Messiah and early Christians longing for Christ's return, with our own expectant hope of Christ's coming which lends itself to valuing the present, with lighting candles against the darkness, and with the cycles of scripture which give us the great prophets messages of Messiah.

Next, with the Advent background in mind, Binz walks readers through the simple steps of lectio divina: lectio (reading), meditatio (reflection), oratio (praying), contemplatio (resting in God), and operatio (witness in daily life). There is much more to it than this simple list, obviously, and Binz does a wonderful job of taking you through each step.

The treasure for Advent and Christmas, however, are in the specific material Binz has prepared for each Sunday of those seasons. The Lectio does not simply contain the readings for that Sunday but also provides some background material to help readers understand both historical and personal context. Meditatio has some prompting questions to aid reflection on scripture until "they become a mirror in which we see our own reflection." And so forth.

I am especially appreciative that this book has the complete A, B, and C cycle readings thus illuminated. This book becomes a tool that can be used every year. I am really looking forward to going through Advent and Christmas with this book. Highly recommended.