Wait Well this Advent with Reflections by Father Mike Schmitz

Katie Fitzgerald reviews a journal designed to accompany the new Advent reflection program from Ascension Press.

Waiting Well: Advent with Father Mike Schmitz

Published by Ascension Press

A New Advent Resource  

Waiting Well is a devotional journal designed to accompany the video series of the same name that Father Mike Schmitz will present in the Ascension app during Advent this year. The book is divided into four sections, one for each week of Advent. Each weekly section includes a challenge and songs for the week, a prayer, and words of wisdom, as well as daily reflections, prayers, and journal prompts with lined spaces for written responses.  

The suggested songs cover the spectrum from contemporary Christian music, to hymns, to Gregorian chant, so there is something to appeal to every taste.  The daily pages are not dated, but they are clearly meant to be used this year and will not match up with the way the days of Advent fall next year. 

Prayer, Scripture, Saints, and More  

The overall focus of this book is on waiting, but the article for each day also emphasizes a specific word related to our anticipation of Christmas. These include everything from clarity, poverty, and courage, to love, peace, and simplicity. Each prayer and prompt draws us more deeply into thinking about how these various virtues, emotions, and experiences inform how we approach this season of waiting. The book also incorporates Scripture from both the Old and the New Testaments, and it makes plentiful references to saints as well as writers like C.S. Lewis and present-day church leaders such as Cardinal Pizzaballa.  

Premium Content from a Favorite Priest  

It is important to know that the videos for the Waiting Well program are premium content on the Ascension app and are not available without a paid subscription. The price for the premium content on the Ascension app is $8.99/month or $59.99/year. Purchasing both a subscription and this book will be necessary for you to fully participate. That said, the journal is robust enough on its own that even without the video content, there is still plenty here to enrich your Advent practices. If the app is out of your price range, this book may still not be.  

Father Mike Schmitz is popular for his accessible, down-to-earth approach to teaching and guiding the faithful. Anyone who enjoys his homilies or podcasts (including Bible in a Year and Catechism in a Year) will find the same straightforward clarity in this journal as they see in his other writings and productions. If you’re a fan, you won’t be disappointed by this latest addition to Father’s long list of wonderful resources.  

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Copyright 2025 Katie Fitzgerald
Images: Ascension Press