|
Contemplative Connections
are brief reflections on Contemplative Living.
Reflection IV
Which Road Are You On?
Thomas Merton's famous prayer begins, "My
Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I
do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know
for certain where it will end."
Knowing where we are going gives us a sense
of certainty and control. Not knowing where
we are going creates anxiety. We tend to view
our lives in the context of a great number of
external factors. Whether it is the economy,
the war, the threat of terrorism or issues closer
to home such as employment or healthcare, they
can occupy our mind and influence our mood,
emotions and behavior. It is difficult to understand
the wide range of forces affecting us and easy
to feel lost in our efforts to know what to
do about them and where to find answers or direction.
But Merton speaks of not knowing where we are
going in a different context --"Nor do
I really know myself, and the fact that I think
that I am following your will does not necessarily
mean I am actually doing so." His context
is the inner life, that of knowing one's self
and the will of God, and finding the purpose
and meaning of our lives.
Then what are we to do? "But I believe
the desire to please you does in fact please
you. And I hope I have that desire in all that
I am doing." … "Therefore, I
will trust you always…"
Desiring to please God and trusting are essential
prerequisites, but how can we know ourselves
and follow God's will? The answer for Merton
was to live contemplatively -- attending to
the everyday relationships with himself, God,
others, and nature in a way that brought purpose
and meaning to his life. Contemplative living
is much more than living a quieter, less busy,
more prayerful life and certainly does not require
becoming a monk or nun.
The essence of contemplative living is relationships
and unity. By getting in touch with the unity
of everyday relationships we do not just intellectualize
that we, God, others and nature are one, but
we feel it, know it, and live it. Through an
ongoing process of self discovery, contemplative
living leads us to take personal responsibility
for all of our relationships and thus to a deeper
sense of purpose and meaning. Ultimately it
influences the direction of our lives, our society
and culture. It is true, we cannot know for
certain where the road will end, but we can
be certain that we are on the right road.
© 2008 The Merton Institute for Contemplative
Living
Reflection
I
Reflection
II
Reflection
III
|
