Living Liturgy: Spirituality, Celebration, and Catechesis for Sundays and Solemnities, Year B

This book - and ones from previous years - have been hugely helpful for the preparation of sermons and study group sessions. I've recommended this series of books to many people over the years, and would urge you to take a look if you are involved in evangelism and want to tie preaching etc firmly to the Lectionary Readings for the Sundays and festivals of the year (RCL).

I have found wonderful insights to include in my homilies from this book. The material for each Sunday is not a canned homily that one can just read, but is meant to lead one to a theme. I regularly use four resources to prepare my homilies. Rarely do I find the material from any one resource to be just what I want to say, but something from this book is included in many/most homilies, and sometimes the material makes up a significant part of my homily. The added bonus is the suggestions for musicians, catechists, etc.

This comprehensive lectionary-based resource begins with the First Sunday of Advent 2004 and contains lectionary materials for Liturgical Year A Four pages for each Sunday and solemnity present the gospel and a reflection on it followed by a section containing key words and phrases from the gospel and ways to connect the reading with current life and the early Church. Scripture, background, focus point, faith sharing questions, and notes for catechists and liturgists are included. A lectionary pronunciation guide and index of liturgical and biblical topics are included. This is an excellent source for parish liturgy committees and bible study groups.

Living Liturgy has multiple uses. Preachers can use it for both background on the readings as well as contextualizing those readings within the Liturgy...a reality often lost sight of. Living Liturgy--unlike other resources--understands the value of the **appointed psalm** within the Liturgy of any given day. The psalm is often the key to the gospel....Above all, Living Liturgy helps me to make the connection between PASCHAL MYSTERY and the texts of any one Sunday. The questions provided in the side-bars can be used by anyone, not just for the groups mentioned. ...great for Lectionary based bible sharing groups.

My parish's Liturgy Planning Committee recently switched to using this book and we all love it! It includes text of all the Sunday readings including the psalms, and it has great ideas for liturgy planning, catechesis, and could even be used by small faith groups for prayer and study.