We three kings of Orient are Bearing gifts we traverse afar Field and fountain, moor and mountain Following yonder star The royal seekers featured in this beloved carol are a part of every manger scene, usually represented by three kingly figures bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. These star-following wise men played an important prophetic role…

On December 26th, Christmas wrapping paper is marked down for clearance, and suddenly all that red and green decor festooning the house starts looking a little stale. Christmas is over, right? Actually, the liturgical season of Christmas begins on December 25th and lasts twelve days. The song about those twelve days – you know, the…

I’ve enjoyed participating in this year’s #AdventWord Instagram journey with the online community connected with St. John the Evangelist. Each day, the brothers of the order gave us a word we could use for contemplation. We were invited to share our Instagrammed images inspired by that word with others. Here are mine. Blessings as you…

I’m a sucker for Top Ten and Best Of lists at this time of year. Just for fun, here’s my own list of media favorites from the past year: [Read more]

I am not Catholic, but am grateful for my Catholic siblings in faith. I’ve been strengthened by many Catholic writers over the years, particularly those from the contemplative tradition. I’ve been encouraged by Catholic pro-life activism and challenged by the Church’s commitment to social justice and care for the least of these. I love studying…

One of my favorite Leo Tolstoy short stories is “Where Love Is, God Is”. It is profound in its simplicity at any time of year, but certainly suits this season. A few years ago, I turned the story into a reader’s theater for seven voices. It takes about 12-14 minutes to perform. A couple of…