Your Light Gives Us Hope

“A daily reader of very simple and often quite direct Advent reflections. Anselm Grün deftly shows the reader how to approach the festive season consciously, making it a blessed time for ourselves and our families. He draws on his own personal experience as a spiritual director to offer practices for personal devotion or for family prayer for each day of Advent. Also included are special reflections for the Sundays of the season. Your Light Gives Us Hope brings the spiritual wisdom of Anselm Grün to a new generation of American readers who are eager for a new voice for celebrating the Advent and Christmas season.” —Midwest Book Review

“Father Grün is a very well-known author of both adult and children’s books, especially in Europe. His courses on formation and his ministry of spiritual direction are universally appreciated—he’s sold over 15 million copies of his many books in over 30 languages! He brings to mind, at least in this regard, the irony of Thomas Merton, a huge, best-selling author and public speaker known the world over, despite his having been a Cistercian who took a vow of silence, and was usually silent when at his Abbey. In any event, Grün is known as gentle, still, man, and his calm spirit is nearly felt in his books; this one is no exception. He invites you to come ‘face to face with the God who loves you’ and he helps illuminate a path towards that encounter by helping you learn to experience, to practice, even in our waiting. Each chapter, in fact, pairs a Scripture, an Advent tradition, and a simple practice. Some may think this is too simple but it is deceptively so. His psychological insight, his theological rigor, and his Biblical warmth and wisdom makes this book a very nice way to help Jesus come daily into our own hearts, even as He comes into the whole world.” —Hearts & Minds

“An excellent guide.” —The Leaven

“Translated from German, Your Light Gives Us Hope is separated into short chapters that direct readers to practice mindfulness during the hectic weeks leading up to Christmas. Readings connect the Rule of Benedict with Scripture and tales of the angels, prophets and the saints...Grun, a German Benedictine monk and author, notes Advent as a ‘premature celebration of Christmas’ and—keeping mindfulness in mind as a practice in addition to a theory—most of the chapters give suggested practices to connect with God through stillness and reflection that tie into the day's theme, all the way through to the end of Advent, which Grun marks as a new beginning. Grun's afterword is notable in its length and in its reach to address some of the deeper spiritual and psychological factors that drive addictions and compulsions, which can prevent starting anew, drawing on his experience as a counselor and emphasizing beginning again through healing.” —Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette