My favorite dead monk, Thomas Merton, wrote thence much that it is difficult for my students to believe his productivity. Merton died inwards 1968 together with had non however reached his sixtieth birthday. Tragically executed inwards a bathtub inwards Bangkok, Thailand, where he had travelled to talk at an interreligious monastic conference, Merton’s decease shocked the religious world. Partly because of the changing media inwards the mid-20th century, Merton became famous inwards his ain time. Indeed, it seems ironic that individual would bring together a contemplative monastery inwards the see of nowhere inwards Kentucky, taking a vow of silence, together with thence larn famous because of all of his words!
But that’s Merton. He is such a fascinating guy because it is impossible to pigeonhole or stereotype him. In many ways his life is fraught amongst ironies and, sometimes, contradictions. Part of his appeal is the conduct a opportunity to spotter him function out his ain spiritual journeying inwards fright together with trembling, together with however amongst the confidence inwards a God together with God’s grace that is reassuring to whatever of us too working out our ain spiritual journey. Merton is a challenge together with a comfort.
Merton was non exclusively a author of books together with articles. He too was a lensman of roughly note. And he was a fairly prolific poet. It is to his verse I would similar to plough for roughly inspirational thoughts. Perhaps his close famous verse form is entitled, Hagia Sophia. Hagia Sophia is a twain of Greek words that tin hold out translated, “Holy Wisdom.” And when Wisdom is existence used similar this, it typically refers to God’s Wisdom or Divine Wisdom.
But that’s Merton. He is such a fascinating guy because it is impossible to pigeonhole or stereotype him. In many ways his life is fraught amongst ironies and, sometimes, contradictions. Part of his appeal is the conduct a opportunity to spotter him function out his ain spiritual journeying inwards fright together with trembling, together with however amongst the confidence inwards a God together with God’s grace that is reassuring to whatever of us too working out our ain spiritual journey. Merton is a challenge together with a comfort.
Merton was non exclusively a author of books together with articles. He too was a lensman of roughly note. And he was a fairly prolific poet. It is to his verse I would similar to plough for roughly inspirational thoughts. Perhaps his close famous verse form is entitled, Hagia Sophia. Hagia Sophia is a twain of Greek words that tin hold out translated, “Holy Wisdom.” And when Wisdom is existence used similar this, it typically refers to God’s Wisdom or Divine Wisdom.
The opening lines of his poem, Hagia Sophia, read similar this. “There is inwards all visible things an invisible fecundity, a dimmed light, a meek namelessness, a hidden wholeness. This mysterious Unity together with Integrity is Wisdom, the Mother of all, Natura naturans.” Those amazing 2 sentences could need 1 hundred pages of commentary! Clearly the punch describe for me is the sentiment of a “hidden wholeness.” Two things are affirmed inwards that phrase.
First at that spot is a wholeness. I am heartened past times that conviction. It suggests to me that inwards spite of all the mayhem, confusion and, sometimes, chaos of our lives, at that spot is a hidden wholeness. In spite of the fragmentation, contentions, and, sometimes, conflict inwards our lives, at that spot is a hidden wholeness. Although nosotros may non accept much of a feel of that wholeness, it is a promise together with a worthy goal. In a feel it is the object of the spiritual journey.
Secondly, the wholeness is hidden. If nosotros describe concern ourselves amongst exclusively the surface of our lives, the wholeness is hidden. In fact, at that spot may hold out piddling clue that at that spot is “in all visible things an invisible fecundity.” Only Merton would retrieve to role a give-and-take similar “fecundity” inwards the representative of hidden wholeness. Fecundity agency fruitfulness. We powerfulness experience similar life is sterile together with impotent, only at that spot is an invisible fecundity---a potentiality meaning amongst to a greater extent than than nosotros tin imagine. We may experience spiritually mired inwards poverty, only at that spot genuinely is unbelievable spiritual fruitfulness awaiting us.
Merton continues to construct upward the invisible---hidden---wonders that are at that spot beneath the surface of life. There is a light---but a dimmed low-cal to those who can’t encounter or know. There is a meek namelessness that exists beneath all the noises of our crazy world. On the surface at that spot may hold out piddling argue to suspect that hidden inwards the invisible corners of our lives, nosotros tin hold back to honour or hold out institute past times the rattling Holy Wisdom of God---Hagia Sophia.
This Holy Wisdom is the spiritual unity together with integrity of our ain private lives, which nosotros come upward to know to a greater extent than together with to a greater extent than fully every bit nosotros alive farther into our spiritual journey. The exclusively mode nosotros tin immature lady becoming acquainted amongst together with alive into this Holy Wisdom is to spend upward to start out the spiritual journey. If nosotros prefer, nosotros tin stay on the surface of our lives---playing forever the boundary games of ego-driven, maniacal bespeak for the ultimately useless things of life.
Give me Wisdom. Gift me amongst Hagia Sophia. Grace me amongst the wishing together with dependent area to get-go that inner journeying that volition hold out lived out inwards my spiritual journeying together with convey me home---home into that hidden wholeness. I rattling much similar the sentiment of wholeness.
Wholeness is my favorite synonym for salvation. Salvation is to hold out institute whole inwards my entire being. Salvation is to larn immersed inwards the hidden whole of the Divinity Itself. Salvation is to institute amongst all other creatures inwards that Holy Wisdom, Who is the Mother of all.
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