Merton and Identity

Who are we? What do we think? Where do we secure out spiritual guidance?

These are questions each of us faces every day, whether we are Christian, Buddhist, Taoist, Muslim, Jewish, a non-believer, or of another religion or spirituality. We each seek to discover our true identity, one Thomas Merton struggles with his entire life. During my research for a new, fresh biography of Merton, I noted the following passage: “The measure of our identity, of our being, is the amount of our love for God. The more we love earthly things, reputation, importance, pleasure, ease, and success, the less we love God.”

This passage appears relevant whether one is a believer or not. Why do we spend so much time on what others think of us, whether we are successful, how much money or possessions we have, and so forth. Instead, why not probe the deeper virtues within us that may trigger a compliment about someones freshly mowed yard, their new hat, a little girl’s doll, an older woman’s hairdo. When all is said and done, it is the little things in life that make a difference, and in this time of struggle and strife with so many, can’t we focus on helping others instead of worrying so much about ourselves?

A brother monk I have interviewed about Merton describes his “tenderness” and “love for others,” that he would drop everything when he heard some friend or brother was suffering. Whenever possible, let’s “drop everything in our lives,” and assist those who need help whether they are deeply in debt, have lost their homes or jobs, are suffering from a dastardly disease, or any number of other problems. Helping others is what life is all about. I’m sure Merton would agree.

Merton, Obama, H. Clinton, and McCain

Who will be the next President of the United States? And will that person really make a difference, be able to end what seems to be an endless war, provide relief for those who have lost their homes, their jobs, or both, and restore American dignity overseas? Or will it just be different names in power, and the same results?

Thomas Merton was a true visionary with an understanding for the plight of all human beings. In 1948, his book, The Seven Storey Mountain, captivated readers with his inspirational journey, but also resonated with wisdom far beyond those years. In one passage, he writes, “We live in a society whose whole policy is to excite every nerve in the human body and keep it at the highest pitch of artificial tension, to strain every human desire to the limit and to create as many desires and synthetic passions as possible . . . we live in a society that tries to keep us dazzled with euphoria in a bright cloud of lively and joy-loving slogans. Yet nothing is more empty and more dead, nothing is more insultingly insincere and destructive than the vapid grins on the billlboards and the moron beatitudes in the magazines which assure us that we all all in bliss right now.”

What is the truth today? Where do we find it? Who is telling the truth? And how would Merton, if he were alive today, answer these questions?

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Merton and Love

For a new book I am writing about Thomas Merton and his struggle to find the true meaning of loving, and being loved, I have been struck by a passage he writes in his book, Love and Loving: “[Love] transforms our entire life. Genuine love is a personal revolution. Love takes your ideas, your desires, and your actions and welds them together in one experience and one living reality which is the new you.”

What beautiful prose to describe what most everyone wants in their life, to know what love is all about, to love, and to be loved. When we truly love, we reach out to others, naked, our emotions pure, our willingness to share, to help, to care, to be there in time of need, all wrapped up in a warm blanket of love. When we truly love, we are exposing the finest qualities of our beings, feelings straight from the heart that show our willingness to become one with those that we love.

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Merton and Taoism

Thomas Merton was a seeker, a curious man about many subjects, including, of course, the Eastern religions and spiritualites. He certainly was aware of the Tao Te Ching. One of my favorite quotes from this inspiring book is:

“Fame or integrity, which is more important? Money or happiness, which is more valuable? Success or failure, which is more destructive?

If you look to others for fulfillment, you will never truly be fulfilled. If your happiness depends on money, you will never be happy with yourself.

Be content with what you have, rejoice in the way things are. When you realize nothing is lacking, the whole world belongs to you.”

How true this is - especially in a day in age when everyone strives to be #1, to be a winner, to covet success and fame. We want, want, want, and when this occurs, we never realize how fortunate we are with simple basics - love, friendships, family, health, and work that truly helps and encourages others. Ah the simple things, a dog rolling in freshly mowed grass, the brightness of the stars on a clear night, the sun setting with a warm orange glow, sitting on a porch and chatting with a special companion, watching kids laugh and play as they race across a lawn sprinkler - these are the things we should cherish. As I am sure Merton would agree, when we notice these things “the whole world does belong to us.”

Merton and the Holy Spirit

Another favorite saying of Merton’s that I have posted on my writing table is “Whatever new direction God opens up for me, my job is to press forward, to grow interiorly, to pray, to break away from attachments and to defy fears, to grow in faith, with its own solitude, and to seek an entirely new perspective and new dimension in my life.”

To me, this means “let the Holy Spirit guide me, and get out of the way.” This is not easy to do, but I have seen firsthand how this occurs since the Good Lord has truly turned my life around during the past five years or so since I was so troubled and disappointed with many things in life. He led me to San Francisco Theological Seminary and has blessed me with a wonderul, loving wife, a beloved black lab named Black Sox, and to0 many graces to mention. I truly believe I am the most blessed man on the face of the earth.

Merton’s Views on Anxiety

One of my favorite Merton quotes is “Anxiety is the product of spiritual insecurity.” This makes me wonder whether all of the worries people have are directly related to confusing minds not quite focused on a fulfilling relationship with God or another higher being. Some would say this is nonsense, but any harmony in life appears to be directly correlated to being one with God or the higher being so that there is flow of the Holy Spirit or another spirit guiding events along. Otherwise, aren’t we simply trying to fend on our own without any higher power to lead us? What kind of a life is that?

Merton’s views on Eastern Religions

For those of you that are interested, Merton’s views on Eastern Religions may be found, among others, in Thoughts on the East, Zen and Birds of Appetite, and his Asian journal. The latter is quite illuminating when Merton visits the huge Buddhist statutes at Polonnaruwa. He writes, “Looking at these figures I was suddenly, amost forcibly, jerked clean out of the habitual, half-tied vision of things, and an inner clearness, clarity, as if exploding from the rocks themselves, became evident and obvious.”

Merton and the Eastern Religions

In Cross Currents, author Shaul Magid writes, ” In many ways Merton served as the spiritual conscience of late twentieth-centry America, gently teaching with his life and letters the substantive differences between religion and spirituality. The former (religion) answers our questions while the latter (spirituality) questions our answers.” This quote symbolizes Merton’s curiosity, his continuing restlessness with seeking new knowledge, new information, new education about so many different topics. It is why he is a beacon of light for everyone who seriously is interested in inclusion, in bringing together everyone regardless of faith, religion, and spirituality and probing deeply the reasons people are divided today instead of working and living for the common good.

Merton, Merton, Merton

Hello and welcome to Merton and Friends, a lively weblog dedicated to the writings and teachings of Father Thomas Merton and those” friends” he cherished in both the Western as well as Eastern religions and spiritualites. Special focus will be on Merton’s view of love and compassion and the subject of freedom, things he strived for his entire life. Please join us as we discuss issues that are relevant to today’s world using the wisdom and grace of Father Merton and others to guide us along.