Thomas Merton -4th and Walnut
Bellarmine University. This morning I went to 4th and Walnut Street
where Merton had his epiphany in 1958. It shifted his writing to a more
understanding of the entire world. This statue is on the corner. A real
spiritual place for a person who understands how this touched Merton.
What a beautiful moment.
posted by Dan Phillips @ 10:18 PM
7 comments
7 Comments:
Dan Thanks for the pictures. Envy you...wish I was there as well.
Times when God speaks and we finally hear............Years ago...a summer evening just past sunset...walking along the shores of a beautiful lake...perfect time and place to pray. I started...wordy, wordy, wordy. All of a sudden..a deep inner voice said 'Be quiet.' I thought: Prayer is good thing and the urge to not pray should be ignored. I started in again...much to tell God. Again the inner voice...'Be still...I am writing upon your heart.' Never forgot that sacred moment.
Epiphany............I often recall the story of Francis and the Crucifix at San Damiano. While praying there one day, the figure of Christ spoke: 'Francis restore My church which you can see is falling into ruin.' Francis, thinking that the Lord meant this church building which was in a very bad shape, started to repair it...begging materials from everybody who came by. Only later, did he realize the the Church needing help was the wider Church of which he was a member. He labored, while trying to live the Gospel sincerely and deeply. He would begin the reform with his self. 'Reform the world...but begin with yourself.'
When unexpectedly a light goes on......Many years ago (62 years) I was walking home from seeing a movie. As I got to a certain intersection, a suggestion came to visit a Church two blocks off my intended route. I knew that the Church would be closed and locked. I went anyway. The entrance was deep and dark so I knelt there where no one could see me. I said a little prayer to God in that sacred space. As I got up to continue...I had two miles yet to walk...my heart was so filled with joy that it completely surprised me. I felt that peace and joy all the way home. It was like my feet barely touched the ground. Little incident...great gift of grace to a young man of seventeen. May God be praised!
A moment of wisdom........One day, I saw a compassionate man leading a blind man across a very busy roadway. In that moment I learned what it meant to say "I will trust in God." Before, I said the word but my heart had not understood. He chooses the moment and the means to get the word to us. Open...open...open...
Does God love us even when we try hard but perform badly?....One time, at Christmas, a local store had a special morning for seniors. Breakfast, ten percent off on all purchases...cash give aways as they drew your name..free gift wrapping...a Santa to have your picture taken with. (I told him that I had been so good all year!) Also, the band from the nearby middle school was playing carols. They put their heart and soul into it but it was the worse band music we had ever heard. The teacher-director smiled broadly and seemed to be saying to the kids: 'Wonderful, wonderful...keep it up!' God is like that...we think we are doing so well...but our self evaluation is lying to us.BUT,He is smiling and pleased with us anyway...poor as it is, it is the best we can do at that point in time.
Did you hear.................So many times, God is sending us a message and we are preoccupied and busy, busy with the things that matter little in the eternal scheme of things. The 'burning bush' got Moses' attention and he listened as God spoke. Many little things can be signs for us. It is up to us to be alert and open to the message God is sending.
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