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The Lord Holds Us by the Hand: Private Homilies, Seasons and Feasts
What did Pope Benedict XVI teach and preach when he was out of the limelight, behind closed doors, among friends? In his late years, after the noise of the papacy had quieted down, how did he understand Scripture—Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the Christian life? When he had the room to be vulnerable, what did he say about the heart of his own spirituality?
In The Lord Holds Us by the Hand, we experience a different side of Joseph Ratzinger. This collection of private homilies—all delivered off the public record in small chapels, during his years as pope and pope emeritus—reveals not a “detached exegete”, as his longtime secretary Archbishop Gänswein notes, but a Christian in “lively participation” with God. In these meditations, never before published in English, “exegesis, theology, catechesis, and spirituality intertwine and join together, leading the listener to enter in depth into the heart of the mystery of Christ.”
The Lord Holds Us by the Hand touches on many of the complex truths of the Catholic faith, from the Immaculate Conception to the mystery of our salvation on the Cross, yet it distills them into simple, personal, human terms, refined by a lifetime of prayer and experience. This book would make a wonderful gift for priests and deacons, as well as for anyone devoted or indebted to Pope Benedict XVI.
In The Lord Holds Us by the Hand, we experience a different side of Joseph Ratzinger. This collection of private homilies—all delivered off the public record in small chapels, during his years as pope and pope emeritus—reveals not a “detached exegete”, as his longtime secretary Archbishop Gänswein notes, but a Christian in “lively participation” with God. In these meditations, never before published in English, “exegesis, theology, catechesis, and spirituality intertwine and join together, leading the listener to enter in depth into the heart of the mystery of Christ.”
The Lord Holds Us by the Hand touches on many of the complex truths of the Catholic faith, from the Immaculate Conception to the mystery of our salvation on the Cross, yet it distills them into simple, personal, human terms, refined by a lifetime of prayer and experience. This book would make a wonderful gift for priests and deacons, as well as for anyone devoted or indebted to Pope Benedict XVI.
342 pages, Hardcover
Published April 24, 2026
About the author
Pope Benedict XVI
939 books980 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 - 1 of 1 review
June 17, 2026
“In large-scale history, then, there are Advents, the Advents of Christ. But also in our small-scale personal history.
If we are attentive, we can feel that in various situations the Lord touches me, knocks at the door of my life, makes me feel His tenderness, His goodness. We must have more sensitivity, more ability to perceive this mysterious and real presence.” 31
I love Pope Benedict so so much! His simple, deep way of communicating God’s love is so evident here. What a heart he had! Definitely would give this to people struggling with the love of God.
“The false love of self, the self-centeredness that thinks only of oneself and does not allow us to go out from ourselves, is for Saint Augustine, throughout history, the force that is opposed to our communion with God. He says: history is a battle between two loves: the love of self to the point of denying God, and the love of God to the point of freedom, martyrdom. In this sense, therefore, the mountain to overcome would be that infatuation with self that closes me of in myself.” 42
“a friend of mine was in a Russian prison, in a very dismal situation, with hunger, cold, and cruelty, for month after month. One day a letter arrived from his wife that told him: "I love you, I am faithful to you, and we are waiting for you." Everything was changed! Life as such is to be welcomed, because this light is there…These situations of Christians contain the reality of the Gospel; in other words, God Himself tells us: "You are loved, you are awaited, you have won, you are hired!" This is our joy; it is news that involves the transformation of our life. In all the problems of the world there is this flame: "You are loved, you are awaited, you won!" 50-51
“The important thing is that the first glance be at God: only by starting with God is our view enkindled, and we, too, can be enlightened and purified and, thus, find the true life, find in Him also our brothers and sisters.” 52 speaking directly to my troubles!!!!
“He comes, not with a loud voice, but with a silent voice, and only by entering into this silence of God can we hear the truth. We must therefore learn to listen to the One who does not raise His voice, who speaks to the depths of our heart in truth, and who does not quench, in other words, is not a violent man, who governs, not with violence, with external power, but with interior goodness.” 68 what a man
“What a joy it is to know Your will, Lord; what a joy it is in the darkness of life to know You and to know life, to be in contact with You! This joy is all the more valid for us, because God no longer showed Himself only as a law, as a word, but showed Himself as a man, as a son of man, as one of us, as someone who loves me and, in the sacraments, gives Himself into my hands, offers Himself to my heart. This joyful surprise ought to be the motive of this Laetare Sunday, of really recognizing that the faith is Good News and light.
We pray that the Lord may heal us again and again, may help us to see and may give us this great joy: "He is with me, He is light, and with Him I, too, can be in the light.
His grace is always greater than my weakness; the Lord is the light of my life." Amen!” 127 light spills out from this
“Even if man forgets God, he cannot extinguish this desire. All the absurdities of our age are the product of this desire, mistaken in its form because they do not know God. But in man’s heart, the infinite desire always remains, the desire for the love of God. And therefore the two desires, God’s and ours, meet.” 158
“Really the adventure of good is greater, more beautiful than the adventure of evil… we do not need true evil to arrive at the greatness of our human existence…the more someone sins, the less he knows that he is a sinner…” 315
If we are attentive, we can feel that in various situations the Lord touches me, knocks at the door of my life, makes me feel His tenderness, His goodness. We must have more sensitivity, more ability to perceive this mysterious and real presence.” 31
I love Pope Benedict so so much! His simple, deep way of communicating God’s love is so evident here. What a heart he had! Definitely would give this to people struggling with the love of God.
“The false love of self, the self-centeredness that thinks only of oneself and does not allow us to go out from ourselves, is for Saint Augustine, throughout history, the force that is opposed to our communion with God. He says: history is a battle between two loves: the love of self to the point of denying God, and the love of God to the point of freedom, martyrdom. In this sense, therefore, the mountain to overcome would be that infatuation with self that closes me of in myself.” 42
“a friend of mine was in a Russian prison, in a very dismal situation, with hunger, cold, and cruelty, for month after month. One day a letter arrived from his wife that told him: "I love you, I am faithful to you, and we are waiting for you." Everything was changed! Life as such is to be welcomed, because this light is there…These situations of Christians contain the reality of the Gospel; in other words, God Himself tells us: "You are loved, you are awaited, you have won, you are hired!" This is our joy; it is news that involves the transformation of our life. In all the problems of the world there is this flame: "You are loved, you are awaited, you won!" 50-51
“The important thing is that the first glance be at God: only by starting with God is our view enkindled, and we, too, can be enlightened and purified and, thus, find the true life, find in Him also our brothers and sisters.” 52 speaking directly to my troubles!!!!
“He comes, not with a loud voice, but with a silent voice, and only by entering into this silence of God can we hear the truth. We must therefore learn to listen to the One who does not raise His voice, who speaks to the depths of our heart in truth, and who does not quench, in other words, is not a violent man, who governs, not with violence, with external power, but with interior goodness.” 68 what a man
“What a joy it is to know Your will, Lord; what a joy it is in the darkness of life to know You and to know life, to be in contact with You! This joy is all the more valid for us, because God no longer showed Himself only as a law, as a word, but showed Himself as a man, as a son of man, as one of us, as someone who loves me and, in the sacraments, gives Himself into my hands, offers Himself to my heart. This joyful surprise ought to be the motive of this Laetare Sunday, of really recognizing that the faith is Good News and light.
We pray that the Lord may heal us again and again, may help us to see and may give us this great joy: "He is with me, He is light, and with Him I, too, can be in the light.
His grace is always greater than my weakness; the Lord is the light of my life." Amen!” 127 light spills out from this
“Even if man forgets God, he cannot extinguish this desire. All the absurdities of our age are the product of this desire, mistaken in its form because they do not know God. But in man’s heart, the infinite desire always remains, the desire for the love of God. And therefore the two desires, God’s and ours, meet.” 158
“Really the adventure of good is greater, more beautiful than the adventure of evil… we do not need true evil to arrive at the greatness of our human existence…the more someone sins, the less he knows that he is a sinner…” 315
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review