HOMILIES given by Cardinal Walter Kasper, President Emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, are gathered in a small hardback, Accepting the Mystery: Scriptural reflections for Advent and Christmas (Paulist Press/Alban Books, £13.99 (£12.60); 978-0-8091-0638-7). “Against all wishes or temptations to restrict the horizon of human existence to what is feasible, manageable, consumable, the Christian celebration of Christmas gives language to the message of faith: human being, acknowledge the mystery that you are!” he writes (referring to St Leo, Sermon 32:3).

Prayers to See You Through Each Day: A special selection from BBC Radio 4’s Prayer for the Day, with a foreword by Sister Catherine Wybourne OSB (“Digitalnun”), offers 40 prayers and reflections from early-morning broadcasters, including, for example, Richard Chartres (“On Seeking a Deeper Trust in God”), Cathy Le Feuvre (“On Hitting the Wall and Keeping Going”), and Ranjit-Singh Dhanda (“On Having the Courage to Do Good”) (Watkins, £9.99 (£9); 978-1-78678-076-8).