As he is far more eloquent than I, I will include some of my favorite quotes form the book in order to illustrate some of his most thought-provoking points. The first drop of rain We do not find the meaning of life by ourselves alone we find it with another., Thomas Merton worked at the Roman Catholic Center in Harlem while attending and teaching at Columbia University. LOVE Thomas Merton. where everything I touch is turned into prayer: where the sky is my prayer, Society, to merit its name, must be made up not of numbers, or mechanical units, but of persons. Photojournalist & Founder of Your Reaction News - howdidyoureact. Deep Relaxing To Calm To Awareness: You Can Try? For if our emotions really die in the desert, our humanity dies with them., For true humility is, in a way, a very real despair: despair of myself, in order that I may hope entirely in You., As soon as you are really alone you are with God., The whole of life is to spiritualize our activities by humility and faith, to silence our nature by charity., The proud man loves his own illusion and self-sufficiency. To me, the above quote from the very young monk, published in his seventh year at Gethsemani, confirms that he was then already living the precepts of The Merton Prayer, knowing that the Lord was leading him on the right road though that was not at all clear to him as the train lumbered toward the monastery. This prayer really got me up out of my own head, ya know? Merton was a Trappist, a member of a Roman Catholic brotherhood . I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And just for clarity's sake, the subject of his prayer is Jesus: "Why should I want to be rich, when You were poor? And just for claritys sake, the subject of his prayer is Jesus: Why should I want to be rich, when You were poor? Seize up my silence I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. I do not see the road ahead of me. In these, he discusses his great discovery. The world of silence in which I am immersed contributes to my prayer. He was baptized in the Church of England but otherwise received little religious education. . September 2014 It requires unending courage and perseverance, and those who are not willing to work at it patiently will finally end in compromise. Thomas Merton. Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I fell in like with trappist monk Thomas Merton several years ago when I read Seven Storey Mountain. Ephesians there is effectively, no distraction. Rumi & Kabir Helminski, Tao Te Ching: What is Hidden Yet Shines In Every Corner? We live in bustling cities filled with constant noise. THOMAS MERTON Wheels of fire, cosmic, rich, full-bodied honest victories over desperation. I created the second video years ago after reading the poem at this link, which also provides the literary source. Thoughts in Solitude, a Prayer From Thomas Merton. Shipping calculated at checkout. What listeners say about Thomas Merton on Solitude and Togetherness Average Customer Ratings. A daydream is an evasion. We must not lose our sensitivity to spiritual inspirations. Too many ascetics fail to become great saints precisely because their rules and ascetic practices have merely deadened their humanity instead of setting it free to develop richly, in all its capacities, under the influence of grace., We are not meant to resolve all contradictions but to live with them and rise above them and see them in the light of exterior and objective values which make them trivial by comparison., Without courage we can never attain to true simplicity. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. I present compelling news through my photography & artwork. . I feel like going on a christposting spree now. He graduated in 1938 and began work on a masters degree. Wait, My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. Gratitude therefore takes nothing for granted, is never unresponsive, is constantly awakening to new wonder and to praise of the goodness of God. Why should I desire to be famous and powerful in the eyes of men, when the sons of those who exalted the false prophets and stoned the true rejected You and nailed You to the Cross? After you have prayed with the text (and feel free to pray with it more than once - St. Ignatius wrote about the deep value of repetition in prayer, especially when something feels particularly rich) spend some time journaling what insights arise for you. Where no one feels The first drop of rain Or sees the last star Or hails the first morning Of a giant world Where peace begins And rages end: One bird sits still Watching the work of God: One turning leaf, Two falling blossoms, Ten circles upon the pond. Genesis Required fields are marked *. For him, contemplation was the fundamental reality in life. As timely now as when it was originally published in 1956, Thoughts in Solitude addresses the pleasure of a solitary life, as well as the necessity for quiet reflection in an age when so little is private. I was not aware of this prayer!!! Your email address will not be published. Our cleanest Light is One! I feel this 100%! James Martin, our podcast guest from last week, tells it . Individuals need a retreat from the exigencies and pressures of work in order to dialogue with God. Elias Amidon Notes Open Path, 3 Wondrous Answers: Miracle of Mindful Presence Thich Nhat Hanh, How Do We Become The Unifying Solution? nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. For the grateful man knows that God is good, not by hearsay but by experience. Indeed, The Merton Prayer may have been first written down by him while praying in St. Anne's, a tiny chapel-hut at Gethsemani. Welcome back. It may be that they lack generosity, and it may also be that they lack direction and experience, and go about it the wrong way. All Quotes Love is our true destiny. Why should I cherish in my heart a hope that devours methe hope for perfect happiness in this lifewhen such hope, doomed to frustration, is nothing but despair? I want to much to see the beauty in Mertons words, but the Christian aesthetic isnt mine. DIALOGUES WITH SILENCE: Prayers and Drawings Thomas Merton, . Here, as elsewhere, compromise is only another name for failure. . One turning leaf, Nov 14, 2020 07:14PM. 2023 Stillness Speaks. One cloud upon the hillside, I'm hoping that it will do the same for you: "My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. Hazrat Inayat On Sound & Music Mysticism, How Free Are We? Thomas Merton, O.C.S.O. 7/9/2014 6 Comments Photo courtesy of: thomasmerton.eu/en My mentor shared this prayer with me a few days ago, and it really spoke into my season. Jesus lived the ordinary life of the men of His time, in order to sanctify the ordinary lives of men of all time. . And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. In an age when totalitarianism has striven, in every way, to devaluate and degrade the human person, we hope it is right to demand a hearing for any and every sane reaction in the favor of mans inalienable solitude and his interior freedom. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. He was ordained a priest in 1949. There were a few sections that I found difficult to relate to, but the vast majority of the book blew me away. In true prayer, although every silent moment remains the same, every moment is a new discovery of a new silence, a new penetration into that eternity in which all things are always new. Sren Kierkegaard (1813-1855), in his densely packed discourse, The Lily of the Field and the Bird of the Air, urges us to exercise silence before God. Living is the constant adjustment of thought to life and life to thought in such a way that we are always growing, always experiencing new things in the old and old things in the new. I've not read nearly enough Merton, and this was excellent. In himself, he nurtured them through a rhythm of writing in solitude, reflection, and prayer. We are like pilots of fog: bound steamers, peering into the gloom in front of us, listening for the sounds of other ships, and we can only reach our harbor if we keep alert. I read it largely while holding my baby early in the mornings before my wife woke up so it was hard to commune with the "solitude" aspects of this but a lot of the thoughts were pretty interesting and meaningful, others had meaning but mostly to the author. This book is a collection of short essays (meditations, I suppose) on the nature and history of contemplative prayer in monastic tradition. Thomas Merton is here to remind us all of the beautiful value of solitude and silence. Jean Klein Listening. I aspire each day that I could learn to Pray like Thomas Merton January 2016 Im a wisdom junkie. Now act is waste Merton is able to put into wordsthings that I didn't know had words. Laws become prodigals It was during this trip that Merton was fatally electrocuted by a faulty wire at an international monastic convention in Thailand. Why did Christ become Man if not to save men by uniting them mystically with God through His own Sacred Humanity? Religion is a language to access the sacred, and what makes us choose one over another boils down to whether or not it resonates with us personally. To keep ourselves spiritually alive we must constantly renew our faith. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you.." Faith alone can give us the light to see that Gods will is to be found in our everyday life. We also want to send our latestarticles, videos, and podcasts via email once per week. I had to share, it was sitting in my heart. the birds are my prayer, Laju, this prayer is posted on my wall and also near the front door. That is how we must pray, full of humility and meekness. What a beautiful soul he is. Watching the work of God: Love this sis! We text our friends or browse the internet. Sign up for our email newsletter and we'll send you one of these amazing teachings for free. Furthermore, the Dalai Lama, who has endured a life of exile, has found that the daily practice of intentional silence fosters gratitude, which he characterizes as one of the four qualities of the heart that lead to joyful living. Ezekiel I found the book to be quite inspiring and such a pleasure to read. Five Lenten Meditations (and a Prayer) from Thomas Merton Given Our Own Intense Solitude of Late, Merton Is the Perfect Lenten Read Ben Self / 3.16.21 Without this certitude we cannot have supernatural confidence and peace. And suffering undone His diaries, social commentary, and spiritual writings continue to be widely read after his untimely death in 1968. The words of the proud man impose silence on all others, so that he alone may be heard. Many of his later works reveal a profound understanding of Eastern philosophy and mysticism unusual in a Westerner. Cowardice keeps us double minded hesitating between the world and God., What we venerate in the Saints, beyond and above all that we know is this secret; the mystery of an innocence and of an identity perfectly hidden in God., To really know our nothingness we must also love it. Merton outlines some aspects of the spiritual life that set the stage for solitude: gratitude, keeping awake, practicing humility, listening, and unifying our lives. Usually ready in 2-4 days. He received a Peabody Award in 2007 for his work on "The Ecstatic Faith of Rumi" and garnered two Webby Awards (in 2005, and again in 2008). As a thank you for signing up, you'll receive a video we produced that is unavailable anywhere else on the Internet. Not many, I would guess. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.. LinkedIn and 3rd parties use essential and non-essential cookies to provide, secure, analyze and improve our Services, and to show you relevant ads (including professional and job ads) on and off LinkedIn. Renew your prayer life with Thomas Merton. His extensive writings provide ample scope for any compiler who attempts to set before the reader a coherent introduction to his thought, his questions, his concerns, his passions. During a trip to Asia in 1968, he met several times with the Dalai Lama, who praised him as having more insight into Buddhism than any other Christian he had known. The prayer below from theologian and Trappist monk Thomas Merton (1915-1968) as found in his book, Thoughts in Solitude (1958) is a beautiful reminder of this truth, and a much-needed, soothing remedy for anxious souls during this unprecedented time. Thanks again for reading! He was a student at three different boarding schools, in France and England. Thomas Merton, a trappist monk, has written the most sublime book on his relationship with God and his life in solitude as a monk. But when men are violently deprived of the solitude and freedom which are their due, the society in which they live becomes putrid, it festers with servility, resentment and hate.". Thomas Merton, a Trappist monk, is perhaps the foremost spiritual thinker of the twentieth century. Merton's work is beyond profound, yet so still beautifully human. Anybody can connect with his humanness and spirituality. His diaries, social commentary, and spiritual writings continue to be widely read after his untimely death in 1968. Ask me what I am living for and what I think is keeping me from living fully that., Violence is not completely fatal until it ceases to disturb us., The spiritual life is first of all a life. As a thank you for signing up, you'll receive a video we produced that is unavailable anywhere else on the Internet. (January 31, 1915 - December 10, 1968) was an American Catholic writer and mystic. The family moved to the United States during World War I, and his mother died of stomach cancer a few years later, in 1921, when Merton was six years old. Doing that, I see the glimmers of transcendence in the works of Christian mystics such as Thomas Merton and Simone Weil. I loved steeping slowly in this book, walking through Merton's thoughts on solitude. Harper San Francisco, $25 (208pp) ISBN 978--06-065602-7 . Your email address will not be published. Faith Over the years, we've recorded some videos with teachers that until now have only been available on DVD. One cloud upon the hillside, When no one notices Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. He taught English at St. Bonaventure College in 1940-41. Omissions? The spiritual life is first of all a life. Let me seek, then, the gift of silence and poverty, and solitude, where everything I touch is turned into prayer: where the sky is my prayer, the birds are my prayer, the wind in the trees is my prayer, for God is all in all. Thoughts in Solitude, Thomas Merton. Like all life, it grows sick and dies when it is uprooted from its proper element, Grace is engrafted on our nature and the whole man is sanctified by the presence and action of the Holy Spirit. I do not see the road ahead of me. I do not see the road ahead of me. He was buried in the Gethsemani cemetery with a white cross which says simply Father Louis. I have been told, and have not confirmed, that his body may be the only embalmed body buried at Gethsemani, and one of only two bodies buried in a casket. We live in a society that does not value solitude. In 1949, he was ordained to the priesthood and given the name Father Louis. Lots of highlighting involved in reading this book there is a lot to chew on and many pages dogeared for future reference. Text may be shared according to Creative Commons CC By-SA. II Peter After teaching English at Columbia (193839) and at St. Bonaventure University (193941) near Olean, New York, he entered the Trappist Abbey of Gethsemani near Louisville, Kentucky. Thomas Merton was one of the great spiritual masters: a Trappist monk, profound mystic, and brilliant writer. It absolutely boggles my mind to think what the world might have missed had his road taken him into the military and not the cloister at Gethsemani. We quite literally cannot bear to be alone. The Merton Prayer, first published in 1958, was likely created by Merton during his early years at the monastery, in the mid-1940s, during his well-known search for more solitude. Thou inward Stranger Please give us two to three minutes to fill in this survey and well send you two free gifts. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. His diaries, social commentary, and spiritual writings continue to be widely read after his untimely death in 1968. Father Steve's Daily Meditations He is a true Saint as far as I am concerned. when I am no longer involved in the measurement of life, Categories. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following Your Will does not mean that I am actually doing so. As a youth, he largely attended boarding schools in England and France. As many, I first came across Thomas Merton in The Seven Storey Mountain. The gender led nature of the language around God and Jesus, the talk of sinners and those who havent embraced Godits off-putting for someone who has limited exposure to Christianity. Let us not fear the responsibilities and the inevitable distractions of the work appointed for us by the will of God. Kabir: Why Catch The Supreme Moment? As one of their many sayings goes, recorded in Thomas Mertons book, The Wisdom of the Desert (1960): A certain brother went to Abbot Moses in Scete, and asked him for a good word. His early works are strictly spiritual, but his writings of the early 1960s tend toward social criticism and touch on civil rights, nonviolence and pacifism, and the nuclear arms race. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Some days, I know exactly what God wants from me; others I am completely clueless and perhaps thats OK. A great book, though a bit preachy at times. I resonate with Merton because I too have had the conflicted longing for both the contemplative and active life. Then I would go to the army. This post is an edited and enhanced version of a 2010 Stillness Speaks post. second chapter of part two of homas Merton's book, houghts in Solitude.1 By the way, if you've not yet had the opportunity to read homas Merton, and if you're inclined to do so, houghts in Solitude is a great way to start. Corrections? As author of over 70 books, his . Mile after mile my desire to be in the monastery increased beyond belief. Definitely God's work and God's process. Jean Klein Listening. Jonathan Star, Value Of Silent Life? Timing is everything; I started this book in another life, possibly before I had children, but was unable to connect with its pace. Its too rich, too essential to be casual about. August 2014 For silence, he writes, expresses respect for God, for the fact that it is he who rules and he alone to whom wisdom and understanding belong.. 2815 36th St NW, Washington DC 20007, Tel: 202.333.4730Fax:
[email protected], 2020 Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral, Service of Preparation for Holy Communion. Toward the end of his life he became deeply interested in Asian religions, particularly Buddhism, and in promoting interfaith dialogue. Mad Merton was the son of a New Zealand-born father, Owen Merton, and an American-born mother, Ruth Jenkins, who were both artists living in France. I will doubtlessly be returning to Thoughts In Solitude again and again. Of a giant world I found that even as a non-christian, I could understand most of Merton's message in the first half. This completely exceeded my expectations. I've benefited from the timeless wisdom and though provoking writings of all these authors. Publisher's Summary. His New Zealand-born artist father, Owen Merton, died in 1931 when Thomas was only sixteen. The spiritual life is, then, first of all a matter of keeping awake. Thoughtful and eloquent, as timely (or timeless) now as when it was originally published in 1956, Thoughts in Solitude addresses the pleasure of a solitary life, as well as the necessity for quiet reflection in an age when so little is private. But surely that would be a disaster? And passion is none. "The great work of the solitary life is gratitude. On November 16, 1938, he was baptized and received into the Catholic Church at Corpus Christi in New York City. This is already a Favorite. The poem brought tears to my eyes this morning. 4.5 out of 5 stars 4.7 out of 5.0 5 Stars 26 4 Stars 3 3 Stars . 1 book view quotes. You can update your choices at any time in your settings. The activity proper to man is purely mental because man is not just a disembodied mind. Kabir: Why Catch The Supreme Moment? It is clothed in the friendly communion of silence, and this silence is related to love. I had done everything that was in my power; the rest was in His hands. Create your own unique website with customizable templates. Thomas Merton, a Trappist monk, is perhaps the foremost spiritual thinker of the twentieth century. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. (Thoughts in Solitude, p. 194) Nov 11, 2020 09:21AM. His other writings included The Waters of Siloe (1949), a history of the Trappists; Seeds of Contemplation (1949); and The Living Bread (1956), a meditation on the Eucharist. Here is a very brief overview of Thomas Mertons life: As Merton rode the train to Kentucky in 1941, he hoped he would be accepted into the monastery at Gethsemani, a hope tempered by the reality of the looming World War II and the very real possibility that he might be drafted into the military. We stumble and fall constantly even when we are most enlightened. (From Steven A. Denny, The Merton Prayer: An Exercise in Authenticity, ACTA Publications, 2022, pp. Mysterion, Rumi & Kabir Helminski, True Meditation Is Awareness? If any visitor has such information, please do contact us Thank You. Thomas Merton is one of those figures in modern life that has had a profound impact on so many Catholics and non-Catholics alike. Thomas Merton writes: When society is made up . December 28, 2014 "It's no stretch of the imagination to say that Thomas Merton changed my life." Thomas Merton is one of those figures in modern life that has had a profound impact on so many Catholics and non-Catholics alike. "If our life is poured out in useless words, we will never hear anything, never become anything, and in the end, because we have said everything before we had anything to say, we shall be left speechless at the moment of our greatest decision." Thomas Merton, Thoughts in Solitude 87 likes Like "Ask me not where I live or what I like to eat . We know, by fresh discovery, the deep reality that isour concrete existence here and now . By upheaval I do not mean a disturbance, but a breaking out of routine, a liberation of the heart from the cares and preoccupations of ones daily business. And yet, paradoxically mile after mile my indifference increased, and my interior peace. Thomas Merton Thoughts in Solitude Prayer Card. View store information. I cannot know for certain where it will end. ~Thomas Merton, "Thoughts in Solitude", pp. Jonathan Star, Value Of Silent Life? Ten circles upon the pond. The world our words have attempted to classify,to control and even to despise (because they could not contain it) comes close to us, for silence teaches us to know reality by respecting it where words have defiled it., The great work of the solitary life is gratitude.
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