Preparing for Jesus : meditations on the coming of Christ, Advent, Christmas, and the Kingdom

ContentsPrefacePart One:PrepareDecember One -- A Teaching: Four Questions for the Final AdventPart Two:ZechariahDecember Two -- A Consolation: You Are Not Little in the UniverseDecember Three -- O Zechariah: How Did It Feel Meeting Glory Face to Face?December Four -- A Teaching: How God Enlarges Little PrayersDecember Five -- An Exhortation: Trust God, and His Signs Will Delight YouDecember Six -- Ah, Zechariah, You Who Doubted: What a Model of Obedience You’ve BecomePart Three:MaryDecember Seven -- An Exhortation: Daily to Join the Sisterhood of MaryDecember Eight -- A Call: To Self-Examination, and to Fear!December Nine -- A Teaching: What Sort of King Will the Son of David Be?December Ten -- A Teaching: What Sort of Child Is Born of Holiness and Humanity?December Eleven -- O Mary: How Blessed Is Your “Yes!”Part Four:ElizabethDecember Twelve -- The Story: Two Mothers MeetDecember Thirteen -- Elizabeth’s Blessing: Makes Mary a Model for the FaithfulDecember Fourteen -- An Effusion: What Singing at the Advent of Our King!December Fifteen -- Mary’s Song: Echoing the Songs of Prophets and AngelsDecember Sixteen -- A Teaching: How Mercy Comes, What Mercy IsPart Five:JohnDecember Seventeen -- A Teaching: What John Becomes for Every AdventDecember Eighteen -- An Exhortation: Serve as Zechariah Defines ServicePart Six:JosephDecember Nineteen -- Learn of Joseph: The Character of RighteousnessDecember Twenty -- Learn of God: Four Gifts of ChristmasDecember Twenty-One -- An Exaltation: The Fourth Gift, Goodness!Part Seven:JesusDecember Twenty-Two -- The Story: Going Up to BethlehemDecember Twenty-Three -- O Mary, Virgin Mother: May I Walk with You a While?Christmas Eve -- The Story: The Holy, Human BirthChristmas Day -- Christmas Day: Our Door to the NativityThe First Day of Christmas -- An Exaltation: Jesus, Here We Come!The Second Day of Christmas -- Learn of the Shepherds: Five Stages of FaithThe Third Day of Christmas -- O My Lord, I Love the Names by Which We Know YouPart Eight:Simeon and AnnaThe Fourth Day of Christmas -- The Story: Ascending to the TempleThe Fifth Day of Christmas -- The Story: The Prophets Prove Him the MessiahThe Sixth Day of Christmas -- Lord, I Am at Peace: This Christmas Too, Mine Eyes Have Seen YouThe Seventh Day of Christmas -- The Story: The Sorrow of Mary, His MotherPart Nine:The Two KingsThe Eighth Day of Christmas --- The First of the Calendar Year -- The Story: Herod the Great and GreatnessThe Ninth Day of Christmas -- An Exhortation to Christians: Do Not Blame the World (The Magi), But Follow!The Tenth Day of Christmas -- O Little King: Receive the Best I Have to Offer YouThe Eleventh Day of Christmas -- A Teaching: As We Return to a Warring WorldThe Twelfth Day of Christmas --- The EpiphanyA Benediction: Christ Is in Us Now