The splendid and moving icon of Thomas Merton was written by Brother Tobias Haller.
Thomas Merton has been a major influence in my spiritual life for many years, since the 1950s when I read Merton's biography The Seven Storey Mountain. The book had a profound effect on me in deepening my faith. Since the first, I've read a good many of Merton's other writings.
Merton's prayer below sustained me many through many periods in my life when I felt directionless or doubtful about choices I've made.
MY LORD GOD, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. 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. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore I will trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.
Thomas Merton, "Thoughts in Solitude"
Jan, it's my pleasure.
ReplyDeleteYou have hit a need for me in his lovely prayer, too Mimi. Thanks for sharing it.
ReplyDeleteCiss, it's a prayer that almost any praying person would find helpful, but for those who believe that they have already 'arrived' at the end of the journey.
ReplyDeleteDear Mimi,
ReplyDeletethanks so much for posting Fr. LOuis's prayer. I read his autob once and when I am discouraged, I try to remember this prayer and the fact that he had a long struggle with his Abbot to be able to live alone in a heritage and when it was finally actually built, it was at first far from complete or comfortable. somehow we tend to forget that famous people have had struggles in their daily lives just as we do.
He surmounted those struggles and turned out such exquisite things.
Nij
Nij, you are quite welcome. The prayer has been such a source of comfort and hope for me that I want to share it with everyone.
ReplyDelete