Advent may be shorter this year — Dec. 3-24 — but there is a
new resource available for people to get the most out of the liturgical season.
Elizabeth Foss, a columnist for the Catholic Herald, has
released a new book, Rooted in Hope, just in time for Advent. The book is dated
and specific to 2017. It is part of the Take Up & Read ministry, which Foss
founded in Spring 2017 to encourage women to read and ponder the word of God.
The organization provides an outlet for women to share their faith in
community. She has provided an online guide for women who want to gather in
groups to pray throughout Advent.
The book begins Nov. 30 on the feast of St. Andrew.
“To me, no matter when Advent begins, it is the feast of St.
Andrew, when we begin to pray the prayer that places us beside the manger, when
I begin in earnest to prepare my heart for Christmas,” Foss said. “Advent begins
very late this year.”
The book’s design encourages lectio divina, a prayer process
in four steps — reading, meditation, prayer and contemplation. In Rooted in
Hope, each day includes a page for people to approach the day with these
questions: What is the meaning of the text? What does the Biblical text say to
me? What do I say to the Lord in response to His word? What conversion of mind,
heart and life is He asking of me today?
According to Foss, a
fifth step, actio, encourages the reader to make an action plan to bring God
into every part of the day, through tasks, meals, giving and preparing, keeping
home and acts of kindness to yourself.
The book includes hand-lettered pages and hand-drawn art, a
daily Scripture passage and additional Scriptures for further reading. A
devotional essay and focused lectio divina page follows Scripture and an action
page to sketch out a plan to live in God’s grace a day at a time, according to
Foss. There also is a weekly planner.
“Our actio page asks a woman to ask herself, ‘What does God
want me to do today?’, and then to put pen to paper and make some actual
plans,” said Foss.
Additional items are available on takeupandread.org —
versions of the journal for younger and older children; a group guide with
discussion questions; pages of calligraphy from the book to download and frame;
and calendar pages designed especially for Thanksgiving week. The website,
Twitter and Instagram pages include discussion of the day’s essay.
Foss said self-care begins with prayer. “This journal gives
women a place to keep their prayers and their plans,” she said. “If they do
that — pray and plan — they come to Christmas recollected and hopefully rested.
Ultimately, we want women to take the peace of Christ from this book.”
Advent is in the midst of one of the busiest seasons of the
year. Foss said it is counterintuitive, when we have so much to do, to stop and
spend more time in prayer, but it is key to doing what is necessary with a
sense of peace.
“Prayer is an investment. When we invest time with Our Lord
and we seek His grace, He will not keep Himself from us,” she said. “The time
we spend in conversation with Him is time we offer to Him, knowing that He can
and will work miracles with it.”
Find out more
Go to takeupandread.org, Instagram @takeupandread or Twitter
@totakeupandread.
