I got a surprise in the mail today. Two signed books from Joah Chittister of Santa Barbara, California, a cherished member of the Army Of Good and a fell fan of the great spiritual writer Joan Chittister.

I’ll try to make sense of it. Joah Chittister is a former Prioress in a Monastery and the author of a score of beautiful books about spirituality and, lately, about aging. I’ve read her books to my Mansion Meditation Class residents for nearly a year; she has influenced me and my writing. Last week, I gave every member of the class her book on aging called The Gift Of Years.  They love it as much as I do.

I’m reading from one of her books tomorrow at my meditation class at the Mansion. I bought each of them a copy of the book and gave it to them last week.

I didn’t know it, but Margaret Corkery, who has written to me often, read my blog, bought some of Joan’s books, and loved them; from reading the blog, she knew I cherished her writing. I’ve read chapter after chapter to the Mansion residents and wrote about it on the blog.

When she heard Joan Chittister speaking at the Triniti Baptist Church in  Santa Barbara, she was elated and went to listen to her talk.

The church was packed, and afterward, Joan signed copies of her books, and people could buy one of her latest books, The Time Is Now, a powerful call to compassion and justice. Joan is an influential and prolific writer, and unapologetically “woke,” bless her.

She is 86 now but spent nearly two hours signing every book brought to her.

“I told her a little part of the story of Bedlam Farm, the Army Of Good, The Mansion, and Bishop Gibbons,” Margaret wrote in a letter to me sent with the books. “She was genuinely interested in yours and the Bedlam Farm story.”

Margaret bought two books and asked Joan Chittister to sign them for me, which was a very kind thought.

The first inscription to me read, “Jon, a voice, a word, a keeper of the will of God. For us all, Joan…”

Margaret said that the week before Chittister’s appearance, she was reading “Spiritual Reflections For Every Day” and thought of me. It focused on photography, and she thought of my pictures. She also knows Linda, the very generous and gifted Virginian who sent all those hats and socks to the Mansion last month.

“Things like that remind me of what a gift you are,” she wrote,” and all of us can feel that we are helping others through your efforts. Many thanks to you, Jon, and to Sue Silverstein ad your family of dogs.”

Kindest Regards, Margaret “B” Corkery.

Many thanks to you, Margaret, and thanks for this quite wonderful gift of books and signings.

Here is what  Joan wrote me in “The Time Is Now,” which Margaret went me. It’s going up on my wall for sure.

It says, “To Jon, Whose Heart Resounds with the heart of God, Joan, OSB.

People are good, given the chance. Margaret “B” Corkery has a heart of gold.