Merton's famous Prayer

(http://www.monks.org)

While looking up some info on the life of Thomas Merton I stumbled across this prayer and a quote written by him -
I thought that the mood and setting of his dependence upon God and the scriptures was impressive. May I rely on God and the scriptures like this...

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 understand myself.

And the fact that I think I am following

Your will does not mean I am actually doing so.

But I believe that the desire to please you

Does in fact please you.

And I hope I have the 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 troubles alone.

------------------------------------------

By reading the scriptures I am so renewed that all nature seems renewed around me and with me. The sky seems to be a pure, a cooler blue, the trees a deeper green. The whole world is charged with the glory of God and I feel fire and music under my feet.
Thomas Merton

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Uphill idealist

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