Author: a fool

All alone with Jesus

to be a saint

Some Merton for today:

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I have always loved that quote. In the Prologue to No Man Is an Island, Merton expands upon the quote. For a person (like Merton) formed in the classical western Catholic tradition it is a strange place to start. Maybe a topic for another day!?

For me it is about living my identity as God-given – seeing the divine in my life and also in the life of others. Living the part of me that is undefinable, indescribable, the nothingness within me where I meet Being. And, if I am going to be honest, for most of my life I have run away from that part. In a desire to be heard, to be listened to, to be an authority, I have ignored “myself” and tried to define myself away from God. In reality God (and “me”) are completely beyond definition, completely other.

In Merton’s language I have tried to hide behind a “false self” by putting on masks to make myself acceptable to others so that they would listen to me.

merton

Most of the people in my life (apart from family) are in books. Whether a Danish thinker from the 1900s, or a monk from the 1950s, the people who most inspire me – and make me think – are people I meet in books.

So here is one: Thomas Merton.

I identify with his need for solitude. The Journals which were published after his death show a man “working out his salvation with fear and trembling”. We also have a number of his talks which show a man full of humour and insight.

So welcome Thomas Merton!

sorry …

… I said I would post everyday but somehow missed a couple of days. Ok, not “somehow” but I had other things happening. I did start a post on Sunday about religion in general but I am not sure that I want to share that part of my life just yet.

So, in lieu of a post with insight (LOL), here is a Kierkegaard quote I found online (the source of which I tried to find but have not yet):

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blogging

I have been playing around with WordPress. It has been some years since I used the free version and a little less since I had my own hosted WordPress blog. I will admit I enjoy the technical side. I am thinking of moving to one of the paid plans to remove the ads and to get a private URL.

But before that my intent: post every day! Something I have read, something I am thinking about, or some random observation. Maybe a review of a movie or TV show? Not for an audience (sorry) but for me. Check back tomorrow!

kierkegaard’s world

Here are a collect of links to a great simple introduction to Soren Kierkegaard:

It is also available as an audiobook.

Bullying

One of our children is changing schools. As part of the process she had an interview. The major part of the interview was dedicated to explaining the Social Media Bullying policy of the new school. It has grown out of the schools negative experience with social media.

I wonder what it says about our culture when we accept, turn a blind eye, or encourage such behaviour? Much deeper, I wonder what it says about how we understand ourselves and others as “persons”?

Life is much more than survival. Survival (the biological imperative for self-protection), the imperative to “look after No 1”, seems to be the easiest choice. Of course, bullying is about much more.

consistent

Here is my insight for today:

Every school of thought (philosophy, theology, political theory, etc) is consistent from inside but inconsistent from outside. Because every school of thought does not exist in isolation but is embodied by people who have common experiences that are beyond logic and reason.

Just saying!