The Living Gospel prayer books for Lent and Advent offer practical insight and spiritual wisdom from popular Catholic preachers and homilists. A new voice each season and the popular five-step format help Catholics pray, join their lives to the living Word of God, and take small steps toward spiritual growth each day. As a popular homilist, speaker, and blogger, Father Scott Hurd is immersed in day-to-day pastoral care and leadership. He gracefully draws the cares, concerns, and joys of his fellow Catholics into the larger story of the Advent gospel readings and provides a simple blueprint for prayer, reflection, and spiritual growth in anticipation of Christmas.
Our parish loved the format of this daily devotional, which includes prayer, a scripture passage, a story, a meditation, and a challenge to go out and live the message. However, we wish that the devotional continued into the Christmas season, especially since Advent is not as long as Lent, and many people in our secular society think Christmas is over on December 25 rather than understanding that is is just beginning! Otherwise, people thought it was great, a good size for a pocket or purse, and a good balance (not too heady and not too light). We would love to see the Christmas season included in future years.