Some years ago, Susan Chapulis, a sixth grader studying monasticism, wrote to Thomas Merton asking for "any information whatsoever" that she could share with her class. As we Presbyterians are both curious and suspicious about monasticism, I thought I would share, in part, what Merton wrote to Susan:
".....when you are quiet and when you are free from a lot of cares, when you don't make enough money to pay taxes, and don't have a wife to fight with, and when your heart is quiet, you suddenly realize that life is extremely beautiful and that just by being quiet you can almost sense that God is right there not only with you but even in you. Then you realize that it is worth the trouble of going away where you don't have to talk and mess around and make a darn fool of yourself in the middle of alot of people who are running around in circles to no purpose.
I suppose you do not wish to become a hermit...But anyway, I suggest that you sometimes be quiet and think about how good a thing it is that you are loved by God who is infinite and who wants you to be supremely happy and who in fact is going to make you supremely happy. Isn't that something?"
Yes it is. This summer, may your heart be quieted from the dizzying pace of life that you can dwell in the presence of the Lord.
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| "Be good, keep your feet dry, your eyes open, your heart at peace and your soul inthe joy of Christ."
Thomas Merton |
