As spring endeavours to break forth through the wind, rain and hail of these past few days I am reminded that it is very similar as we move through the seasons of our own lives that repeat time and time again. Only THE TRUTH can hold us steady as we are buffetted by life, and as I read something from the journals of Thomas Merton today it resonated in my spirit.Thomas Merton, a modern day Trappist monk, writes of following the rules of St. Benedict who
founded the Order (they are: obedience, humility, work, prayer, simplicity, the love of Christ) and goes on to say:
"The light of truth burns without a flicker in the depths of a house shaken with storms of passion and fear. "You will not fear the terror of the night." And so I go on trying to walk on the waters of the breakdown. Worse than ever before and better than ever before. It is always painful and reassuring when he who I am is not visibly destroyed by the hand of God in order that the depths of me, which is His image, may be set free to serve Him in peace.
Sometimes in the midst of this I am tremendously happy, and I have never in my life been so grateful for His mercy. And no more professional spirituality! Terrifically purged of ideas about prayer, and of all desire to preach them, as if I had something!"
How amazingly he writes of these struggles, and it is always good to find another soul walking on the same road! We speak and pray about being broken as if it were some kind of beautiful spiritual experience, but then we find that it is the flesh that breaks down, very painfully and noisily, and in that place only that which has been formed and forged by God holds us.
How powerful are HIs great hands, and how amazing is His tender love and speaking in this desert place. He gently repairs and restores what He created and here we come ... up from the wilderness leaning on our Beloved.
"The light of truth burns without a flicker in the depths of a house shaken with storms of passion and fear. "You will not fear the terror of the night." And so I go on trying to walk on the waters of the breakdown. Worse than ever before and better than ever before. It is always painful and reassuring when he who I am is not visibly destroyed by the hand of God in order that the depths of me, which is His image, may be set free to serve Him in peace.
Sometimes in the midst of this I am tremendously happy, and I have never in my life been so grateful for His mercy. And no more professional spirituality! Terrifically purged of ideas about prayer, and of all desire to preach them, as if I had something!"
How amazingly he writes of these struggles, and it is always good to find another soul walking on the same road! We speak and pray about being broken as if it were some kind of beautiful spiritual experience, but then we find that it is the flesh that breaks down, very painfully and noisily, and in that place only that which has been formed and forged by God holds us.
How powerful are HIs great hands, and how amazing is His tender love and speaking in this desert place. He gently repairs and restores what He created and here we come ... up from the wilderness leaning on our Beloved.
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