Some wisdom and a challenge for Christ-followers from Thomas Merton. Gratefully shared from Paul Pynkoski’s post on the International Thomas Merton Society’s Facebook page. Thank you, Paul!
Merton was so adamant on the unity of contemplation and action, of spirituality and justice. And while it seems appropriate to speak of his earlier, contemplative writings (New Seeds…) and the later writings on social concerns ((Seeds of Destruction) there are examples where the two are woven together.
What follows is from “A Homily on Light and The Virgin Mary,” written in 1962:
“No one has ever more perfectly contained the light of God than Mary who by the perfection of her purity and humility is, as it were, completely identified with the truth like the clean window pane which vanishes entirely into the light which it transmits…
“For man today has lost consciousness of his need for truth. What he seeks is power. Truth is made to serve the ends of power. Truth is of no value unless it is expedient. When truth is not expedient, then it is deliberately twisted to serve the aims of the powerful…
“It is a common trait of all the powerful materialist societies, that they are not so much interested in truth as in the creation of slogans and images…Where power is primary, truth is made to bend to will. The will to power does not obey truth but manufactures its own truth, to suit policy and expediency…
“…persons are treated as things. They are bought and sold like commodities…
“In Mary is perfectly realized God’s whole creative and redemptive plan. That is why she is said to be for us a light of truth and a pattern of life…In her is all the beauty of the world, transfiguration and elevated to a level beyond our comprehension…We cannot help but see that she is, like ourselves, a human creature whose littleness has been glorified in the light of Christ and who has been saved from the power of darkness and evil by the grace of His Cross.”
(Seasons of Celebration, pp.134, 136, 138, 139)
“I think music in itself is healing. It’s an explosive expression of humanity. It’s something we are all touched by. No matter what culture we’re from, everyone loves music.”—Billy Joel
“I don’t know what’s going to become of you!” How many parents have said that? Maximilian Mary Kolbe’s reaction was, “I prayed very hard to Our Lady to tell me what would happen to me. She appeared, holding in her hands two crowns, one white, one red. She asked if I would like to have them—one was for purity, the other for martyrdom. I said, ‘I choose both.’ She smiled and disappeared.” After that he was not the same.
— Read on www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-maximilian-mary-kolbe
There are times when I find myself in a low spiritual energy place. There are also times when my depression overwhelms me. Yet even in the midst of that darkness I am able to find light and hope. When I let go of my own need to be in control and surrender myself the the Lord of Light and Love, the spiritual dawn of a new day comes.
I found this quote from Thomas Merton that was helpful to me as I ponder these things tonight.
O God, teach me to be satisfied with my own helplessness in the spiritual life. Teach me to be content with Your grace that comes to me in darkness and that works things I cannot see. Teach me to be happy that I can depend on You. To Depend On You Should Be Enough For An Eternity Of Joy. To Depend On You By Itself Ought To Be Infinitely Greater Than Any Joy Which My Own Intellectual Appetite Could Desire. (Dialogue With Silence)
As I ponder, I offer this prayer:
The sun has set and the Vesper Lights flicker and glow
It has been a long day, Lord
I find myself with low energy and exhausted
I am thankful for the opportunity just now to see a little more clearly
I thank you for Merton’s words which offer me hope
Now as my eyelids grow heavy
I lift this humble prayer to you
Dona Nobis Pacem
Grant Us Peace
A wee prayer from the heart of your Padre…
“Nonviolence has two faces, that of cooperating with good and that of non-cooperating with evil. These two faces, or call them two edges to the sword of Satyagraha, have been expressed throughout history as what Gandhi would call Constructive Program, where you create things, and make corrections in your own community, and what I like to call obstructive program, where you dig in your heels and refuse to go along with others’ attempts to weaken or exploit you.”—Michael N. Nagler
The sun has set and the Vesper Lights flicker and glow
Another day of ministry and preparation
Preparing for a memorial service on Saturday
Preparing for worship on Sunday
At the end of the day a wonderful opportunity to meet with a very special small group over Zoom
Preparing for the trip back to Minnesota for Dad’s Care Conference
Sometimes I want to be like Pixie… burrowed under the covers
Now as thunder crashes and lightning flashes, poor Pixie is nervous
So we snuggle together in bed
Soon my eyelids will grow heavy
Right now I lift this humble prayer to you
Dona Nobis Pacem
Grant Us Peace
A wee prayer from the heart of your Padre…
“No matter how corrupt, greedy, and heartless our government, our corporations, our media, and our religious and charitable institutions may become, the music will still be wonderful.”—Kurt Vonnegut
| Verse of the day I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. – Ephesians 3:18-19 |
| Voice of the day You are loved, someone said. Take that / and eat it. – Mary Karr, “Disgraceland” (2004) |
| Prayer of the day You shine so finely, it surpasses understanding. God hugs you. You are encircled by the arms of the mystery of God. – Hildegard of Bingen |
The sun has set and the Vesper Lights flicker and glow
It has been a long day, Lord
A day filled with some darkness
Also a day filled with your light
Pixie seems to be recuperated from her visit to the vet for a shot
She spent the afternoon and evening on the couch
She really misses her Mommy and I do too
Now as my eyelids grow heavy
I lift this humble prayer to you
Dona Nobis Pacem
Grant Us Peace
A wee prayer from the heart of your Padre…
“Music is the great uniter. An incredible force. Something that people who differ on everything and anything else can have in common.”—Sarah Dessen
