Thursday, October 8, 2020

A Faith that is rooted in the Unknown

The heart of man [sic] can be full of so much pain, even when things are exteriorly “all right”. It becomes all the more difficult because today we are used to thinking that there are explanations for everything. But there is no explanation of most of what goes on in our own hearts, and we cannot account for it all. No use resorting to the kind of mental tranquilizers that even religious explanations sometimes offer. Faith must be deeper than that, rooted in the unknown and in the abyss of darkness that is the ground of our being. No use teasing the darkness to try to make answers grow out of it. But if we learn how to have a deep inner patience, things solve themselves, or God solves them if you prefer: but do not expect to see how. Just learn to wait, and do what you can and help other people. Often it is in helping someone else we find the best way to bear our own trouble.

-- Thomas Merton
from his Christmas letter, 1966

7 comments:

  1. Calming, needed words at this time. It's hard for me to wait, easy for worry to move in. This is a reminder about where faith is rooted.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know. I appreciate Merton referencing the "mental traquilizers" of religious explanations. I've despaired of those so many times. Except for Merton and others pointing toward this faith born of Darkness, I may as well be an atheist.

      Delete
    2. i am so thankful for this blog. we've connected before, years ago. but it is good to be back. you post beautifully, sister.

      love.

      Delete
  2. yes yes ______________________________

    yet there is kindness -

    God is without a address -

    yet the right thing always happens at the right time !

    happy happy blessings _____________________

    ReplyDelete
  3. Powerful, comforting advice from Merton. Thank you

    ReplyDelete

Palm Sunday

  Image: "The Mystical Boat", by Odilon Redon On Palm Sunday we reach the quayside.  A great ship is fretting at the moorings, sai...