Thomas Merton. What would a Baptist minister do without him? He symbolizes both the man I would like to be but would also hate to become. You know, he only watched TV twice in his life. I imagine that he would have never owned an Ipod.
Everyone should read Seeds. Edited by Robert Inchausti. You'll find the book a bit dated since the issues at hand during these writings did not have within its context the latest tech advances, 9/11, or an invasion of Iraq. Nevertheless, his writings are timeless.
Within one of his writings, a statement stood out and just so happened to be the one that made no sense at first glance.
Merton wrote, "Why then do we persecute ourselves with illusory demands, never content until we feel we have conformed to some standard of happiness that is not good for us only, but for everyone?" Do we have to consult the rest of the world to receive approval for what makes a person happy? Must we insist on a happiness that is approved by magazines, movies, TV, and celebrities.
God has offered us a secret gift of happiness that is particular to us as believers. It is possible that we do not believe in a happiness that is given to us for nothing.
It is holy week...let us all accept that we can be happy with a happiness that has no price tag on it.