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Contemplation in a World of Action
The Inner JourneyThe spiritual and psychological insights of these essays were nurtured in a monastic milieu, but their issues are universally human. Thomas Merton lays a foundation for personal growth and transformation through fidelity to "our own truth and inner being". Our desire and need to attain "a fully human and personal identity" is the focus of Merton's concern.£24.99 -
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Making All Things Well: finding spiritual strength with Julian of Norwich
Daily Readings, Saints & Mystics, Spiritual ExercisesThe writings of Julian of Norwich are more popular and relevant than the 14th century mystic could ever have dreamed they would become. Speaking with freshness, depth and poignancy, they offer timeless wisdom and understanding for present day concerns. For Isobel de Gruchy, Julian was a great support during many difficult years of ministry in South Africa's apartheid era, but it was when her son died tragically in an accident that she found unexpected reserves of spiritual insight and strength. Making All Things Well opens up Julian's central themes - such as the mystery of suffering, the promise that we shall overcome evil, prayer and contemplation, the faithfulness and love of God towards all he has made - and relates them to the many challenges we encounter today. Offering forty short reflections that demonstrate Julian's abiding influence, it is ideal for personal reading during Lent, or at any time of year, for a retreat, for group reflection and as a worship resource. Each contains a scripture reading, an excerpt from her Showings, a meditation, a prayer-poem and questions for reflection.£10.99 -
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Acquainted with the Night: An Exploration of Spirituality and Depression
Everyday Life, Spiritual Direction, Spiritual Growth, The Inner JourneyDepression is pandemic today; as the demands of modern life prove too much for many adults, it has also clawed its way into the minds and souls of our young people, so that it is not unusual to hear that teenagers, or even children, are taking anti-depressants, sometimes committing suicide. The aim of this book is to illustrate that depression is often a spiritual malaise that can be "treated" by spiritual measures. Award-winning author, Robert Waldron explores the common causes and symptoms of depression, and in so doing underscores the Socratic ideal of "the unexamined life is not worth living." When depressives take their depression seriously, they see that they are living superficially and understand that there is a deeper kind of living available: it is this realization that leads them into a spiritual dimension. Indeed the cure for much depression lies within the Christian message of mercy, forgiveness, compassion, acceptance and love. Using Jungian theory on spirituality as a foundation, Acquainted With The Night goes on to explore the scrutiny and expression famous Christians have given to their individual acquaintance and struggle with darkness, these include: Gerard Manley Hopkins, T.S. Eliot, Henri Nouwen, Philip Toynbee, Thomas Merton, Mother Teresa of Calcutta, and Loran Hurnscot.£12.99 -
With Pity Not With Blame: contemplative praying with Julian of Norwich and the cloud of unknowing
Saints & Mystics, Spiritual ExercisesBased on a series of retreat addresses to clergy, parishes and religious communities given over a period of five years, this is one of the most acclaimed guides to Christian contemplative prayer. First published 30 years ago, it is truly a modern spiritual classic. Robert Llewelyn provides a practical yet profound guide for anyone venturing on the path of prayer and contemplation. He explores Julian of Norwich's way of prayer and discovers its enduring wisdom for today. He also finds essential insights into the contemplative life from Julian's contemporary, the anonymous author of The Cloud of Unknowing. The treasures of this medieval English mystical tradition are brought to fresh life with simple and homely examples that illustrate their lasting appeal and power for today.£12.99 -
A New Heaven & A New Earth: St.Cuthbert and the Conquest of the North (Book 3 of 3: The Cuthbert Novels)
Celtic Sites & Saints, FictionIn 1069 Northumbria is in revolt against Norman rule. William the Conqueror’s brutal reprisal devastates the province and brings untold suffering to its people. Caught between the Northumbrian rebels and their new Norman masters, the Community of Saint Cuthbert at Durham is struggling to survive. But the mysterious influence of the Saint brings aid from the furthest corners of the kingdom—and from some of the least likely of his followers:£12.99- Thorgot, an Anglo-Norse adventurer from Lincoln on the run from the Normans
- Edith, the repudiated wife of Durham’s dean
- Aldwyn, a visionary monk of Winchcombe
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The Promise of Paradox: a celebration of contradictions in the Christian life
The Inner JourneyFirst published in 1980 - and reissued here with a feisty new introductory essay - The Promise of Paradox launched Parker J. Palmer s career as an author and his ongoing exploration of the contradictions that vex and enrich our lives. In this probing and heartfelt book, the distinguished writer, teacher, and activist examines some of the challenging questions at the core of Christian spirituality. How do we live with the apparent opposition between good and evil, scarcity and abundance, individuality and community, death and new life? We can hold them as paradoxes, not "either/ors", allowing them to open our minds and hearts to new ways of seeing and being. Animated by the insights of the Trappist monk Thomas Merton, The Promise of Paradox explores spiritual questions in the open and generous spirit of Christian mysticism, challenging forms of Christianity that are closed and even cruel. There are no easy answers to these questions, and there may be no answers at all. But with the poet Rainer Maria Rilke, Palmer advocates the rich possibilities that emerge when we learn to "live the questions".£15.99 -
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Time to Live : The Beginner’s Guide to Saying Goodbye
Everyday Life, Seasons of Life"Ann writes honestly about death and dying. It is easy to read, written from the heart and mixes philosophical /spiritual thought with highly practical ideas about ways forward. Ann writes from the perspective of her strong Christian faith and her writings are backed up with clear, useful, encouraging Scripture readings. As a Christian I found it very inspiring and hopeful. Death is a certainty for all of us, yet her society hides it away and pretends in collusion with her own unconscious minds that we are immortal. Ann tackles the subject comprehensively and uses a mix of personal stories, quotes, philosophical thinkers, poetry and scripture to ilustrate her ideas. The book flows well and I liked the way it illustrated the pitfalls one can slip into , from denial to an overwhelming belief in healing that can prevent one from preparing both spiritually and practically. I loved her positivity and encouragement to focus on love - the love of God, of each other and of ourselves. I have taken away some practical ideas to implement. For instance I have a lasting power of attorney but now realise how useful making an advance decision will be. Thank you Ann for this book."Original price was: £8.99.£6.99Current price is: £6.99. -
Wrestling with my Thoughts
The Inner JourneyShe couldn't believe it. There she was with her medical qualifications sitting on the floor of a mental hospital. She'd offered her life to God, wanted to serve him anywhere, but no, surely not this... Sharon Hastings is absolutely passionate about helping anyone who suffers from 'severe and enduring mental illness' (SEMI): schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and schizoaffective disorder. She wants the church to know all about these illnesses: how they devastate ordinary people and how they need to be treated. By telling her story, warts and all, showing her own tortuous, painful journey, she equips us to come alongside loved ones, fellow church members, friends and neighbours, understanding the social and spiritual ramifications of their illnesses, including them in our activities (where appropriate) and encouraging their spiritual growth. A natural storyteller, the author draws us in. We journey with her. With wisdom, kindness and the heart of a bruised survivor, she interweaves her exceptional story with vital teaching which simply cannot be ignored by anyone within the church today.£11.99 -
Help me to journey beyond the familiar 210mm square print
Celtic Sites & Saints, Celtic Studies & Spirituality, Creativity, Spiritual GrowthLynda Owen-Hussey, a companion with the Northumbria Community, is a mixed media artist living on the shores of the West Coast of Ireland in County Kerry, close to the birthplace of St Brendan. These days, her work is inspired by the many gifts of the sea she encounters on walks along the shore, often pondering the life of St Brendan and the many monks of old who inhabited this land. In describing this original artwork Lynda says:£12.00Painted whilst on retreat at Nether Springs, the Mother House of the Northumbria Community, this artwork is inspired by a verse in the Northumbria Community’s Brendan Liturgy:
Lord, I will trust You, help me to journey beyond the familiar and into the unknown.
Brendan’s journey begins as his heart is stirred by a vision that takes him beyond his present circumstances and surroundings. In Genesis 12 we find Abram, who like Brendan, followed the call of God to leave the familiar comforts of home and venture towards the land of promise. Sometimes we hear that call ourselves, but oftentimes it is discomfort or the unexpected which proves to be the catalyst that opens us afresh to seeking out new ways as we journey in trust.
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A Place of Repose: St.Cuthbert’s Last Journey (Book 2 of 3: The Cuthbert Novels)
Celtic Sites & Saints, FictionThe year is 875, and the Danish King of York, Halfden Ragnarsson, is carrying fire and sword across Northumbria, burning churches and monasteries and killing their inhabitants. The once-great Christian kingdom is at the mercy of the heathen. The monks of Lindisfarne flee, taking the relics of Saint Cuthbert and the Lindisfarne Gospels with them. Their journey in search of a new home for the Saint lasts for seven years and changes the lives of the men who bear him for ever. Katharine Tiernan's second novel is a tale of violence and intrigue, revenge and reconciliation – and of true love lost and found. An extraordinary story combines with the skilful and engaging recreation of characters and relationships at this fateful moment in the survival of Northumbria. Always in the background is the mysterious presence of Cuthbert, as the threads of destiny that will bind heathen and Christian, Dane and Saxon start to weave together.£12.99 -
Celtic Advent: 40 days of devotions to Christmas
Advent & Christmas, Celtic Prayer, Celtic Studies, Celtic Studies & Spirituality, Resources for the Christian YearThis inspirational book takes the reader through Advent to the celebration of Christmas through the eyes and beliefs of Celtic Christianity. Starting on 15 November – the beginning of Celtic Advent – and reflecting on Jesus' coming at his birth as well as into our lives by the Holy Spirit and at the world's end, the author offers a unique approach to the season to help you gain a new sense of wonder in the birth of Jesus, the Saviour of the world.£8.99 -
The Circle of Peace: an antidote to distress
Everyday Life, Spiritual Growth, The Inner JourneyA much-needed book which gives people - Christians in particular - permission to love themselves as they should. Written by a chartered psychologist and a priest with a distinguished teaching and pastoral ministry, this book offers an encouraging hand to those who want to experiment with making beneficial changes in their life, especially those bothered by anxiety, depression, low self-esteem or feelings of helplessness. Full of reassuring and engaging stories. Includes practical exercises throughout to enable people to understand where discomfort originates and to discover ways forward. The Church is very good at inviting or challenging people to love their neighbours - it is not so strong on encouraging us to love ourselves. This book illuminates the healing truth that encountering the love of God sets us free to live as we were intended to live - loving ourselves and those around us. Through Bible passages, stories and exercises, the authors encourage us to throw off the sense of apprehension that bothers so many, and to enjoy living to the full in God's exhilarating company.£10.99 -
Caim: A4 signed print
Creativity, Spiritual GrowthBackground: Artist Mary Fleeson tells us that...'"Caim" was originally designed as a CD cover for an album of prayers set to music by the same name, therefore the imagery reflects themes of the music included, however as is often the case the illustration evolved into something which speaks beyond the obvious inspiration. The hand seems to reach out in a loving, gentle gesture to caress the face of the Creator, symbolised by the star (Revelation 22:16 ‘I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.’). The complex knotwork intersperses three overlapping circles which represent the Trinity and the patterns and colours are life patterns, weaving and merging, coloured by experiences, actions and reactions.' Printing and Sizing: This item is 210mm x 297mm and is printed on 300gsm card stock using our in-house printer. Each print is individually signed by Mary Fleeson and is packaged in a cellophane wrapper with a descriptive backing sheet explaining more about the piece and the Scriptorium.£12.50 -
The Last Journey : Reflections for the Time of Grieving
Daily Readings, Seasons of LifeThe need to express grief, to sing our sorrow, is as old as humanity. The Book of Psalms, sideby side with expressions of deepest praise, contains cries of unfathomable despair. Both are not only acceptable to God, but essential for our mental and spiritual health. In The Last Journey, John Bell explores the myriad of emotions that accompany loss, offeringus a way to grieve, to search through the struggle before us - and perhaps enabling us to findthe courage to face the world with a renewed sense of hope. This book is accompanied by an audio CD of 17 songs.£14.99 -
Julian of Norwich: A Very Brief History
Saints & MysticsOver six hundred years ago a woman known as Julian of Norwich wrote what is now regarded as one of the greatest works of literature in English. Based on a sequence of mystical visions she received in 1373, her book is called Revelations of Divine Love. Julian lived through an age of political and religious turmoil, as well as through the misery of the Black Death, and her writing engages with timeless questions about life, love and the meaning of suffering. But who was Julian of Norwich? And what can she teach us today? Medievalist and TV historian Janina Ramirez invites you to join her in exploring Julian's remarkable life and times, offering insights into how and why her writing has survived, and what we can learn from this fourteenth-century mystic whose work lay hidden in the shadows of her male contemporaries for far too long£10.99 -
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Fire of the North: The Life of St Cuthbert
Celtic Sites & SaintsSt Cuthbert, monk and bishop of Lindisfarne, was a man of extraordinary charm and ability. A preacher, teacher and pastor, he was also reputed to have gifts of prophecy and healing. David Adam, one of the most prolific and best-loved writers in the Celtic tradition, vividly relates the story of this central figure in Celtic Christianity. Drawing out the qualities which make Cuthbert so important in our own time, Fire of the North celebrates the saint's ready sense of God's presence and eager response to nature. The narrative is complemented throughout by prayers specially composed to help us experience the direct force of Celtic spirituality for ourselves.£9.99 -
Poverty – Simplicity – Joy: Stories of St Francis and his Companions for Everyone
Saints & Mystics, Spiritual ExercisesOccasionally in the Church some spirit is raised up who proves to have a universal significance that endures through the ages. Such a one was Francis of Assisi, whose life continues to inspire countless thousands of Christians, and even people of other faiths and none. When the present pope chose the name Francis, the Church thrilled with a sense of something new, radical, focused on Jesus and the poor. The name Francis alone symbolizes a way of life that challenges and offers hope. It returns us to the basic message of Christianity, the love that is ever ancient, ever new, and demands a response on our part. Francis was born in 1182. It was the era of the crusades, which heralded enormous changes in the Christian West. During his lifetime Francis himself was to go to the East, not as a fighting Crusader, but as one who wanted to bring peace through dialogue and understanding. It was also a new era of lay holiness. There was a reaction to the wealth of the Church and its distance from the ordinary person. People flocked to the growing cities, but for most it was a life of misery and squalor. They were uprooted from the land they had lived on for years, and there was little provision in urban areas for their spiritual welfare or material well-being.£5.95 -
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Contemplative Prayer
Influences & Suggested Reading, Scripture & PrayerThomas Merton's classic study of monastic prayer and contemplation brings a tradition of spirituality alive for the present day. But, as A M Allchin points out in his Introduction to this new edition, Contemplative Prayer also shows us the present day in a new perspective, because we see it in the light of a long and living tradition. Merton stresses that in meditation we should not look for a 'method' or 'system' but cultivate an 'attitude' or 'outlook': faith, openness, attention, reverence, expectation, trust, joy. God is found in the desert of surrender, in giving up any expectation of a particular message and 'waiting on the Word of God in silence'. Merton insists on the humility of faith, which he argues 'will do far more to launch us into the full current of historical reality than the pompous rationalisation of politicians who think they are somehow the directors and manipulators of history'.£9.99 -
A Month With Julian of Norwich
Daily Readings, Saints & MysticsThis short book contains 62 prayers and readings (one each morning and evening for a month). It will help the reader to steep him- or herself in the writings and thoughts of this favourite spiritual writer, and the introduction will introduce Julian of Norwich's particular appeal. The special angle unique to this series of books is the way they accompany the reader on a month-long journey with a favourite saint or writer.£7.99 -
Precious Thoughts: daily readings from Thomas Merton
Daily Readings, Influences & Suggested Reading, Traditional MonasticismThomas Merton wrote to people of all faiths and none; he wrote to people who were searching, and those who were firmly established in religious orders; he wrote to students, peace activists and `ordinary' people who had read about him and were curious. Some are letters of spiritual direction, a sharing of spiritual insights and social concerns, some more personal. In this carefully selected collection, Merton scholar, Fiona Gardner, has focused on extracts that seem to speak to all who are searching. They have been chosen because they offer an opening into something other - to provide a way into both silence and contemplative prayer.£10.99 -
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Divine Discontent : The Prophetic Voice of Thomas Merton
Influences & Suggested Reading, The Inner JourneyThomas Merton's best-selling spiritual autobiography, The Seven Storey Mountain, was one of the most influential books of the twentieth century. The original (1948) hardback edition sold 600,000 copies and by 1984 paperback sales had exceeded 3m. It has been translated into 15 languages and remains in print today. The 2015 centenary of Merton's birth provides an opportunity to reconsider both his international reputation and his startling relevance in today's world. Merton was a Trappist monk, writer, contemplative, social critic, pacifist, jazz lover and (in the context of world faiths) ecumenist whose sudden, premature death in unexplained circumstances prompted a further surge of interest in the man and his work. His extensive writings, many only recently available, provide the basis for a fresh examination of his story, permitting Merton to speak for himself whenever possible, but enabling also an analysis of his abiding fascination and the discontents - human and divine - that dominated so much of his life. The author inspires us to look again at our preconceived ideas about the natural world, the prevailing culture, abuses of power, questions of war and peace, contemplation and action, institutions and the freedom of the individual - and the search for God. NB The International Thomas Merton Society has 40 Chapters in the US alone, overseas Chapters in Argentina, Australia (2), France, Japan, New Zealand and Russia, and affiliated organisations in 11 further countries (Belgium & the Netherlands, Brazil, Canada, England, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Korea, Poland, Spain and Sweden).Original price was: £20.00.£15.00Current price is: £15.00. -
An Introduction to the Wisdom of the Celtic Saints
Celtic Sites & Saints, Celtic Studies, Celtic Studies & Spirituality, Core Teaching, Influences & Suggested Reading, Northumbria Community Resources & TeachingEdward C Sellner has recently published a revised and expanded edition of his important work Wisdom of the Celtic Saints, which presents the stories of 27 of the most important of the Celtic saints from Ireland, Scotland, northern England, Wales, Cornwall and Brittany. However, this is currently only available in hardback form and the author has permitted the Northumbria Community to publish his excellent introduction to his book in this booklet form, making it more widely accessible.£4.00 -
A Retreat with Thomas Merton
The Inner JourneyThe celebrated spiritual writer Thomas Merton remains one of the most influential voices of our day. His many books have become modern spiritual classics and he opened up the riches of the monastic tradition for many. Here, Esther de Waal devises a seven day personal or group retreat programme using extracts from Thomas Merton's writings and a selection of the photography for which he was also renowned. She creates a retreat that can be made at home, at a centre or on holiday, over a week or a period of weeks. The focus of each of the seven days is: The Call; Response; The Solitary Within; Encounter With Christ; The Demands of Love; Common and Natural and Ordinary; Integration.£14.00 -
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Thomas Merton My Brother : His Journey to Freedom, Compassion and Final Integration
Influences & Suggested Reading, The Inner JourneyThis intriguing expose not only traces Merton's remarkable journey through life, but it also explores the various deposits of his vast literary heritage. Pennington, one of the leading spiritual writers of our times, was a close friend of Merton. As a fellow Cistercian monk for many years, he can understand as few others can the lifestyle and concerns of Thomas Merton. Chapters deal with Merton's quest for inner freedom, his growth to compassion, his attraction to the Orient and its mysticism, his vast literary output. Pennington's personal recollections of their times spent together allows his writing an original warmth that cannot be found elsewhere.Original price was: £10.99.£7.99Current price is: £7.99. -
A Silent Action: engagements with Thomas Merton
Spiritual GrowthThomas Merton's life, especially once he had become a writer, was to a great extent one of dialogue with people who were distant, both geographically and historically. In these probing and perceptive studies, Rowan Williams looks closely at the key intellectual and spiritual relationships that emerge in Merton's writings, exploring the impact on him of thinkers as diverse as Hannah Arendt, Karl Barth, William Blake, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Olivier Clement, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Paul Evdokimov, Gerard Manley Hopkins, Vladimir Lossky, John Henry Newman, Boris Pasternak and St John of the Cross.£11.99 -
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Into the depths: A Journey of Loss and Vocation
Everyday Life, The Inner JourneyIn January 1984, Sr Mary Margaret Funk, a Benedictine nun from Indiana, paid a visit to Maryknoll missionary nuns working in Bolivia. On what should have been a routine trip to the local town for a convocation ceremony, a flash flood swept away the jeep in which she, three nuns, a priest, and a disabled boy they had adopted were travelling. Only she and the priest survived What happened that night catapulted Sr Meg into twenty-five years of prayer and self-examination. She relentlessly explored her relationship with the transcendent and immanent God, the profundities of her religious tradition, her commitment to spiritual practice, and her very human failings. It was a journey that left her spiritually naked before the terrible love of God; a journey to keep one's heart open to the transforming wounds of suffering. In the great tradition of spiritual confessions from Augustine to Thomas Merton's The Seven-Story Mountain, Into the Depths is a fearlessly honest and simply told account of one woman's struggle to engage at the deeper levels with the most profound questions of faith.Original price was: £12.99.£8.99Current price is: £8.99. -
Merton’s Palace of Nowhere
Spiritual Growth, The Inner JourneySpiritual identity is the quest to know who we are, to find meaning in life and to overcome that sense of "is that all there is?" At the heart of this quest are found Thomas Meron's illuminating insights leading from an awareness of the false and illusory self as the way to a realization of the true self. For twenty-five years, Merton's Palace of Nowhere has been the standard for exploring, reflecting on, and understanding this rich vein of Merton's thought.£14.00 -
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Facing Death: Bible readings for special times
Daily Readings, Seasons of LifeThis collection of 18 undated reflections draws comfort and encouragement from the Bible and from the author's own experience for those going through life-limiting illness and for their family and carers. With moving vulnerability and without denying the difficult reality of the situation, Rachel Boulding suggests a way to confront terminal illness with faith and hope in a loving God. Facing Death grew out of the overwhelming response to Rachel's Bible notes in New Daylight (May-August 2016). Readers recognised in her comments her courage to be authentic in the face of terminal illness, her appropriate vulnerability and her faith.£3.99 -
Ancient Paths CD
Celtic Prayer, Creativity, Music & Creativity, Spiritual GrowthAnna's first solo album includes some of her 'signature' pieces as well as some songs of her own. Some of you will recognise familiar words from the Complines in Celtic Daily Prayer drawn from Carmina Gadelica and other traditional sources. Here they are set to Anna's own music which has emerged over the years of saying and singing these night-time prayers with her children, Joel and Martha. Anna says, 'I hope you will want to play this album often and that it will capture something of the rhythm of the tides, the sounds of the island and also its stillness.'£12.00 -
The Seven Storey Mountain
Influences & Suggested Reading, Traditional MonasticismThe complete and unedited edition of Thomas Merton's famous autobiography, one of the greatest works of spiritual pilgrimage ever written. Thomas Merton (1915 - 1968) was a Trappist monk, writer, peace and civil rights activist.£21.00 -
The Cloud of Unknowing for Everyone
Saints & Mystics, Spiritual ExercisesIn this adaptation of a classic 'how to' book of contemplative prayer, beautifully and simply expressed and illustrated, the riches of contemplative prayer are made available to all. Those who find this way of praying natural for them and those who wish to discover hitherto unknown facets of the beauty of prayer can alike find in it real spiritual nourishment.£5.95 -
Advent and Christmas Wisdom with Thomas Merton
Advent & Christmas, Resources for the Christian YearAdvent and Christmas are special times for all Christians. The spiritual longing of the Advent season can only be satisfied by the joy and celebration of a Christmas focused on Jesus' birth in our hearts. Advent and Christmas Wisdom with Thomas Merton give readers the opportunity to experience Advent and Christmas in a way that unwraps the spiritual joy, allowing it to shine brighter that all the tinsel and trappings that can blind our eyes to the deeper meaning of the season. This book is arranged for use on every day of the Advent and Christmas seasons. Each day's reflection begins with a scriptural quotation, continues with a thought from the writings of Thomas Merton, and concludes with a prayer for the day. Merton's writing capture the familiar themes of the season: the Incarnation, anticipation, angels, giving, and many others - each drawing us closer to the joy of welcoming the Saviour into our lives. An appendix includes a suggested plan for using each day's meditation as part of a morning or evening prayer.£11.99