thomas merton

Spent the evening checking out this series of videos by Loyola Productions titled “Who Cares about the Saints?” I’ve been massively influenced by Thomas Merton so that was an easy grab. What I love about the videos is that they not only give the positives of the persons life, but also shares the struggles or faults within the various lives of the saints of our faith.

Who Cares about the Saints? (Thomas Merton) from Loyola Productions on Vimeo.

Love the conclusion here that a very great man of God can be so flawed in ways of the world yet still devoted to a life with Christ. I think we’d all be better off if we gave ourselves some grace to not have to be perfect in our striding towards holiness.

When in the soul of the serene disciple

When in the soul of the serene disciple
With no more Fathers to imitate
Poverty is a success,
It is a small thing to say the roof is gone:
He has not even a house.

Stars, as well as friends,
Are angry with the noble ruin.
Saints depart in several directions.

Be still:
There is no longer any need of comment.
It was a lucky wind
That blew away his halo with his cares,
A lucky sea that drowned his reputation.

Here you will find
Neither a proverb nor a memorandum.
There are no ways,
No methods to admire
Where poverty is no achievement.
His God lives in his emptiness like an affliction.

What choice remains?
Well, to be ordinary is not a choice:
It is the usual freedom
Of men without visions.

by thomas merton, selective poems of..

photo by paul stevenson creative commons

Who Cares about the Saints? #thomasmerton

pondering : when in the soul of the serene disciple