After the customary chiming of the singing bowl (my phone app) to center ourselves, we read the following quotations from the 20th century Trappist monk, Thomas Merton.
We must make the choices that enable us to fulfill the deepest capacities of our real selves.
When ambition ends, happiness begins.
Be good, keep your feet dry, your eyes open, your heart at peace and your soul in the joy of Christ. http://www.brainyquote.com/
A bit of a follow-up to the vocation conversation of February. The original question was to be, "How do we guide our children to 'make choices that enable [them] to fulfill the deepest capacities of [their] real selves?'" I offered that personally, it is sometimes very difficult for me to let God's plan unfold in my life. Again, the trust issue rears its persistent head. But all is not lost! The subsequent quotes show us a light and easy yoke when we rely on Christ's strength.
For more information on St. Thomas Merton (and more about Forward Movement's Lent Madness) click here: Thomas Merton background
We closed with the Prayer of Thomas Merton (thanks S. Balke, Seminarian!):
“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. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.”
― Thomas Merton, Prayer of Thomas Merton
― Thomas Merton, Prayer of Thomas Merton
See you on April 6th! Of course, there will be snax....
Faithfully,
The ModSub
