"You will conceive and give birth to a son..."

"And there were shepherds living out in the fields near by..." "You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger"

Luke's opening chapters are bursting with familiar phrases like these. They ring with warm solemnity and make many of us feel a Christmas glow.

This book invites readers to discover depths it's easy to miss in the nativity plays and carol concerts that feature prominently in over-full December diaries. You will be guided through Advent in 25 daily Bible readings and prayers, at times pausing for several days to peer intently into Luke's best-known narratives.

Lights sparkle in the darkness that enfolds the Northern Hemisphere at this time of year -- until they are taken down and put back in the box in January. Luke points us to Jesus, the Radiant Dawn of a day that will never end. Let these Advent reflections direct your heart's gaze towards him, the shining source of confidence and joy in whatever darkness we experience.