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Icon by Tobias Haller. |
Birthday of Thomas Merton, writer, poet, Trappist monk, saint in my canon. He would be 99 years old today.
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 that 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 will I 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
A wonderful prayer I first read years ago but had almost forgotten about. It speaks to me today. Thanks for posting this.
ReplyDeleteThe Seven Storey Mountain changed my life when I read it during my college years. In later years, Merton said of the book, "Perhaps if I were to attempt this book today, it would be written differently. Who knows? But it was written when I was still quite young, and that is the way it remains. The story no longer belongs to me...."
DeleteThat was a quick hiatus!
ReplyDeleteI should never say that. :-) It's just that I'm posting less, and I don't want people to worry.
Delete99 !!!! Seems impossible!
ReplyDeleteThank you, God, for Thomas.
To me, too, margaret.
DeleteBack in the 80s, I created a "Saints Wall", w/ cut-outs of my own personal saints, ancient & modern: TM had a prominent place. [If I ever had a son, thought I might name him "Thomas Martin", to incorporate the names of two modern saints]
ReplyDeleteI was at the Cathedral Bookshop in Sacto. today, FINALLY getting an Ordo Kalendar (on the last day of the 1st month!). The shop has a book giveaway cart, and I claimed a copy of "Contemplation in a World of Action". [I know that today is his birthday (even knew it was his 99th!), but didn't remember.] Holy Spirit at work! ;-)
I have a saints wall of Tobias Haller's icons. So far, I've printed and framed three: Hildegard von Bingen, Thomas Merton, and Teilhard de Chardin.
Delete