ADVENT AND CHRISTMAS WITH THOMAS MERTON

"It is important to remember the deep... seriousness of Advent, when the mendacious celebrations of our marketing culture so easily harmonize with our tendency to regard Christmas, consciously or otherwise, as a return to our own innocence and our own infancy...." So wrote Thomas Merton, the mystical Trappist who was probably the most famous American monk of the 20th century. Here, some of Merton's writings on Advent and Christmas are offered in a day-by-day format, each one paired with a scripture passage and a daily prayer. Merton's excerpts are taken from his well-known autobiography The Seven Storey Mountain and the liturgical guide Seasons of Celebration, but also from some of his more esoteric books, such as Zen and the Birds of Appetite. The editors' prayers don't match the quality of these excerpts, but the book's overall effect is reflective and thoughtful. (Sept.)