Hell—A Brief Reflection
Currently I am reading a book that was recommended by a friend from the International Thomas Merton Society. David Carlson’s book Peace Be with You: Monastic Wisdom for a Terror-Filled World takes a look at the September 11, 2001 attacks ten years after that day. It is an intriguing reflection on that day from the perspectives of monastics (women and men) in the US who shared their stories with the author.
Carlson shares some of the writings of Thomas Merton and he himself notes, as I have before on this blog, how prophetic Merton’s words from the 1960s were in 2011 and I’d imagine he would say still are today.
He explores Merton’s description of the Cold War as a mirror of hell. Merton wrote the following in New Seeds of Contemplation (p. 123):
Hell is where no one has anything in common with anybody else except the fact that they all hate one another and cannot get away from one another and from themselves. They are all thrown together in their fire and each one tries to thrust the others away from him with a huge, impotent hate. And the reason why they want to be free of one another is not so much that they hate what they see in others, as that they know others hate what they see in them: and all recognize in one another what they detest in themselves, selfishness and impotence, agony, terror, and despair. The tree is known by its fruit. If you want to understand the social and political history of modern man, study hell.
Reflecting on Merton’s words as I look at the world around me and my own internal wrestling with hatred and fear, I pray that I can believe, as Merton stated so eloquently on p. 296 of New Seeds, If we believe in the incarnation of the Son of God, there should be no one on earth in whom we are not prepared to see, in mystery, the presence of Christ.
That’s a pretty tall order and yet I am compelled to open my own eyes, as challenging as it may be, and see the presence of Christ in my neighbor and even my enemy. I invite you, dear reader, to join me as we seek to make a difference in this world that is so filled with hatred and fear.
Pastor Michael Moore's Blog 
Hi Michael, thank you for mentioning this book. I’ve ordered a copy.
It’s quite interesting and challenging for the author and, I believe, for the nuns and monks he interviewed.
Ordered the book, looks like a good read for Lent. I lost two friends and collegaues on Flight 11. That evening I pulled off the shelf Merton’s book “Faith and Violence: Christian Teaching and Christian Practice” once again turning to Merton to find answers.
I can’t imagine how difficult that must have been for you, Richard. I am so sorry for your loss.
Thank you. Rahma and Michael were going to SFO for a wedding. Rahma was pregnant, the orginal flight her and Michael were on was Monday, but Rahma had morning sickness and they got on the Tuesday morning flight.
I was 18 when I first met Merton, had no idea who he was but in that meeting I was blown away, and have been a “disciple” ever since.
Thanks
Oh wow… I have friends who had family members who weren’t in the Towers when the planes hit even though they were supposed to be… so many lives. That was what hit me the most. I was stationed in Las Vegas at that time. All the lives lost.
I met Merton after I hung up the uniform… he has helped me to give language to so much of what I saw and experienced in the military.
I can imagine. I am a brass brat.:)
lol, I am sure you can!
Seeing the presence of Christ in those we consider our enemies is a big challenge. The enemy in the abstract is so much easier than the one creating mischief in one’s life. Thanks for sharing the book.
Oh it is a huge challenge. In the military the “enemy” is dehumanized… and sometimes the chaplain got in the way for challenging that