Preparing for Christmas

What if Advent is not merely a sentimental countdown to Christmas but a summons to deeper awakening? In Preparing for Christmas , Richard Rohr invites readers to explore beyond the nostalgia of the holiday and into the true cosmic meaning of the Incarnation. Organised around the daily Scripture readings for the Advent season, these reflections follow the Roman Catholic lectionary from the First Sunday of Advent through Christmas Day, guiding readers into a fuller encounter with the reign of God proclaimed by Jesus. Rohr challenges watered-down religion and invites readers into a faith marked by surrender, hope, non-dual awareness and courageous trust. With characteristic clarity, he reframes familiar Advent themes - waiting, darkness, humility, the Incarnation and the Lordship of Christ - as invitations to transformation here and now. Rather than offering private piety detached from the world’s suffering, Preparing for Christmas calls readers into conscious participation in God’s larger story. Advent becomes an ongoing way of life: awake, alert and ready for the coming of Christ in every moment. © Richard Rohr 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026