Wisdom, wit, and Sacred Writ are the outstanding interactive hallmarks of this fourth and final volume in The Spiritual Wisdom of the Gospels for Christian Preachers and Teachers series. In the same style and format as the first three volumes, Shea presents evocative reflections to enhance Scripture-based preaching and teaching for liturgical feast days, funerals, and weddings. Christian preachers and teachers and anyone interested in the spiritual life will find Feasts, Funerals, and Weddings an insightful and relevant resource. John Shea, STD, is a theologian, author, and storyteller who lectures nationally and internationally on storytelling in world religions, faith-based healthcare, contemporary spirituality, and the spirit at work movement.

Wisdom, wit, and Sacred Writ are the outstanding interactive hallmarks of this fourth and final volume in The Spiritual Wisdom of the Gospels for Christian Preachers and Teachers series. In the same style and format as the first three volumes, Shea presents evocative reflections to enhance Scripture-based preaching and teaching for liturgical feast days, funerals, and weddings. Christian preachers and teachers and anyone interested in the spiritual life will find Feasts, Funerals, and Weddings an insightful and relevant resource. John Shea, STD, is a theologian, author, and storyteller who lectures nationally and internationally on storytelling in world religions, faith-based healthcare, contemporary spirituality, and the spirit at work movement.

Storyteller and theologian John Shea provides a unique commentary that's ideal for preaching, teaching, or simply meditating on the Gospels. His writing is poignant and conversational making this book a valuable tool for professional ministers, as well as for Christians who reflect on the Gospels for personal spiritual growth. Shea draws readers into the people and situations that Jesus encountered in ways that are evocative and inspirational. The resource is based on both the Catholic Lectionary for Mass and the Revised Common Lectionary, making it accessible across Christian denominations. John Shea, STD, is a theologian, author, and storyteller who lectures nationally and internationally on storytelling in world religions, faith-based health care, contemporary spirituality, and the spirit at work movement.

With a goal of transcendent awareness, John Shea presents this commentary on the Sunday Gospel readings for those who are drawn to the spiritual wisdom of the Gospels. Ideal for Christian preachers and teachers, and Christians who meditate on the Gospels, Shea's book takes a literary-spiritual approach. It is the second title of a four-volume set that references both Roman Catholic and Revised Common Lectionaries. Liturgical Press

The brilliant theologian and popular storyteller John Shea introduces us to a jesus who is uncompromising in his desire for us to follow him and experience peace, joy, love, and assurance. Filled with captivating stories and profound theological insighes, "Following Jesus" will challenge and inspire you.

The Lord’s Prayer accompanies the lives of Christians. When we are happy or sad, when we eagerly wait for a child to be born or silently keep watch as an elder dies, alone in the woods or together in liturgy, filled with gratitude or emptied by grief, driven to praise or dragged to repent, the Our Father finds its way to our lips. To Dare the Our Father recognizes and respects these experiences but it envisions praying the prayer as a more sustained and challenging undertaking. How does praying the Our Father inform our thinking, feeling, willing, and acting? How does it become for us a transformative spiritual practice? John Shea explores these questions and more to discover what it looks like to become people of prayer.

Because readers provide a bridge between the Word of God and the assembly, helping Christ speak to his people, they need to understand, believe, and love the Word of God they proclaim. The Introduction to the Lectionary calls for a preparation for lectors and readers that includes spirituality, biblical and liturgical formation, and technical instruction for proclamation. This book provides exactly that in an inviting and readable style that grounds readers in essential knowledge and inspires them to keep learning and growing. This resource includes: Theological and historical reflections on the liturgy and the ministry; Practical skill-building and advice for serving in this role; Ways to deepen your spirituality and call to discipleship; Answers to frequently asked questions; Recommended resources; A glossary; Questions for discussion and reflection

Assemblies recognize the difference between a lector who simply reads and one who truly proclaims the Word of God. They perk up and take special notice when they sense that the lector has worked to get inside the text, to express the meaning authentically, and to draw them into the story. Douglas Leal has spent decades as a lector, lector trainer, actor, and director. He knows how to coach lectors beyond reading so they can become proclaimers of the Word. The conversational, spirited style of the book recreates the sense of a live training session with the author. In a magazine format, with running text surrounded by boxes that focus on a particular subjects and techniques, a tool from the actor’s toolbox, or an encouraging story from the world of acting, the book presents a wealth of wisdom and practical instruction that can carry a lector far beyond basic training. Chapter by chapter, Leal guides lectors to Understand their role as sacred storytellers Learn how to study the text closely: understand its style; notice its literary devices; consider its context in the Bible, the liturgical year, and the lectionary; use Scripture resources to arrive at its meaning; practice the text; and pray it Work with their voice: articulation, tempo, rhythm, pauses, volume, and inflection Develop comfort with nonverbal skills: eye contact, posture, and facial expression Choose an intention appropriate to the text and responsive to the needs of the community Understanding and expressing the true emotional content of the text Staying focused on the text, cultivating authenticity and humility, and seeking feedback Overcoming nervousness, mistakes, colds, and other unexpected problems Developing a plan for practice and preparation

The perfect gift! A specially priced, beautifully designed hardcover edition of The Joy of the Gospel with a foreword by Robert Barron and an afterword by James Martin, SJ. “The joy of the gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus… In this Exhortation I wish to encourage the Christian faithful to embark upon a new chapter of evangelization marked by this joy, while pointing out new paths for the Church’s journey in years to come.” – Pope Francis This special edition of Pope Francis's popular message of hope explores themes that are important for believers in the 21st century. Examining the many obstacles to faith and what can be done to overcome those hurdles, he emphasizes the importance of service to God and all his creation. Advocating for “the homeless, the addicted, refugees, indigenous peoples, the elderly who are increasingly isolated and abandoned,” the Holy Father shows us how to respond to poverty and current economic challenges that affect us locally and globally. Ultimately, Pope Francis demonstrates how to develop a more personal relationship with Jesus Christ, “to recognize the traces of God’s Spirit in events great and small.” Profound in its insight, yet warm and accessible in its tone, The Joy of the Gospel is a call to action to live a life motivated by divine love and, in turn, to experience heaven on earth. Includes a foreword by Robert Barron, author of Catholicism: A Journey to the Heart of the Faith and James Martin, SJ, author of Jesus: A Pilgrimage