I've spent the morning before Xmas Eve studying an anti-Jewish, anti-Catholic classic from 1926, 'Klansmen: Guardians of Liberty' by Alma White. Horrible stuff. What've you been up to?

Would you like me to fill out one of these for you this morning? At the shelter where I volunteer on Monday mornings, there is sometimes one of these filled out for a cat, so that you know what you are facing before you walk into the room to meet her.

A beautiful Wendell Berry poem for a dark day: To go in the dark with a light is to know the light. To know the dark, go dark. Go without sight, and find that the dark, too, blooms and sings, and is traveled by dark feet and dark wings.

A.C. Benson, in his diary, observed a man as seeming "kind, well-informed, cocksure, complacent, good-natured, rather boring, with a high belief in his own perfections" -- "rather like the Nonconformist idea of God." Spot on.

Tertullian said he expected joy in heaven imagining those in hell. I don't think that's possible.

This is a prayer of medieval origin in many Jewish prayer books, and designed for the shortest day of the year and a new moon when a dark night focuses us on creator more than creation.

Wendell Berry, Joy Harjo, and Mary Oliver all in Saturday morning prayer in today’s siddur. And that’s my rabbi.

Wife: “What does charity mean in Christian theology?” “Love, mostly.” Wife: “Okay. And in Judaism it’s tzedakah, which is justice, and in neither case should it matter if you get a tax deduction.” “Right.”

Christmas Poem. The last one of the year from "Meister Eckhart's Book of Secrets"

Tonight -- is the darkest night of the year. "life is full of a darkness which can enlighten you in its own way" (Meister Eckhart)

The only reason to do this would be if the author addressed the book to you as a friend, now you no longer want it, but you’d be embarrassed if he were ever to see it for resale in a shop.

Martin loves a vigorous head scratch. I sometimes think he thinks he’s a dog.

Only a religious book do you hold that way.

I would purchase a copy of this book for every one of you if I could. It is one of my favorite books of the year. Here's my review: www.spiritualityandpractice.com/book-reviews...

Consider the Moon (from "Meister Eckhart's Book of the Heart")

I bought this 📚 from a Boston bookseller 25 years ago. Lovers of late twentieth century poetry will be able to see clearly why.

Today’s find. Almost impossible to find those dust jackets.

Looking forward to joining The Church in the 21st Century Center at Boston College to talk about my new book and the way of St. Francis of Assisi 800 years on. Friday, January 30, 2026 | 1:00–2:00pm ET For info: www.bc.edu/content/bc-w...

Writer friends: Yes, everyone is receiving spam email from people who pretend to be big fans of your recent book, and know a fair amount about it, offering to help with promotion. But what they are really seeking is your money (as if writers have extra?). Delete them. Or block them.

Do you know James Norbury's books? I've just reviewed the new one. www.spiritualityandpractice.com/book-reviews...

My life's soundtrack this week.

Emily Dickinson wrote of her father: "He buys me many Books - but begs me not to read them - because he fears they joggle the Mind."

I am happy to report that we had more people at the Hanukkah first night party tonight than last year, and there was no security at the door.

Happy first night.

What happened in Australia today, on the first night of Hanukkah, is tragic, and means that there will now be more guys with guns guarding synagogues in the US tonight. That makes me sad. That’s not what we need.

My dear old friend, Frederic Brussat, died peacefully this morning. You know him from the great work of Spirituality & Practice, which he cofounded with Mary Ann Brussat. If you'd like to honor Frederic, he'd love you to donate to that work: spiritualityandpractice.app.neoncrm.com/campaigns/sp...

Meister Eckhart reflects on Matthew 5:3, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” talking about “internal” poverty, saying that a poor in spirit person is “someone who desires, knows, and possesses nothing.” For Eckhart, this has to do with preparing for the Nativity.

Shabbat shalom

I’m looking forward to being in Milwaukee soon! Come say hello if you can. @boswellbooks.bsky.social #Milwaukee #MKE #Books

The chickadees always seem to be out first, just before sunrise. Early risers.

We’re just saying hi.

At the 60th anniversary of Nostra aetate, let me mention that about half of Catholic seminary students still think interfaith dialogue with Jews is primarily for evangelization purposes. They haven't learned from NA or listened to the teaching of the last 4 popes. How can we do this better?

A read aloud for you today youtu.be/FmZCQfeWjeQ

Just now found a complete grasshopper, still moving, in my Romaine lettuce from the co-op. Pretty cool!

Thomas Merton, d. December 10, 1968 📸 Mine, Abbey of Gethsemani, Trappist, Kentucky: June 26, 2017

Today is the anniversary of Thomas Merton's death. It was also on this day in 1941 when he entered the Abbey of Gethsemani. He wrote, "So Brother Matthew locked the gate behind me and I was enclosed in the four walls of my new freedom."

I actually read our 30pp homeowner's insurance policy. We're covered in case of perils including riot, missiles and spacecraft, and volcanic eruption. But not floods.

I was working with Jan Karon in 1996. Great to see her still cookin at age 88. www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/aut...

Just working, you know, like you do.

'A voice of one crying in the wilderness', St John the Baptist on the early 16th Century roodscreen at Wiggenhall St Mary the Virgin, Norfolk. A key figure in the Advent sequence, his story features in today's Gospel. Wiggenhall StMtV: www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/wiggenhallst...

This great Image paperback featured the work of the great cover artist, Enrico Arno, b. 1913 in Mannheim, Germany, who studied painting, lettering, and calligraphy before fleeing Nazi Germany for the U.S.

Thank you for introducing me to NBE. I ask for his intercession every day.

It was on this day in 1904 when #BlackElk was welcomed into the Roman Catholic Church. It was the feast of St. Nicholas, which is why he became known as *Nicholas* Black Elk. His cause for canonization is now in Rome. #Indigenous #CatholicChurch #BooksWorthReading

O thou lord of life, send my roots rain -G. M. Hopkins

My final book about Saint Francis of Assisi publishes on January 6.

My review of Jack Kornfield's new book www.spiritualityandpractice.com/book-reviews...

spirituality directs us to the living present, not more statistical models running thru software. #fuckai

"AI solves the fundamental bottleneck of being human." Heaven help us.