Two major fast days are also listed ash wednesday and good friday. This friday is the first real test of fasting for most ash wednesday services make for strength in numbers. Thomas merton 19151968, a trappist monk, was one of the most wellknown catholic writers of the 20th century. I thought i would quote it in full again this year. Our job is to love our brothers and sisters without stopping. Ash wednesday takes place 46 days before easter sunday, and is chiefly observed by catholics, although many other christians observe it too. The question of sinfulness is raised precisely because this is a day of mercy, and the just do not need a savior. This volume of daily inspiration from thomas merton draws from merton s journals and papers to. Although greenleaf pdf has been considered her lent story. While we may update the urgent list for our own time, it would certainly continue to include issues of racial discrimination and oppression. In the post last year i referenced a quote from thomas merton that captures the significance of ash wednesday.
Nevertheless, the liturgy of ash wednesday is not focussed on the sinfulness of the penitent but on the mercy of god. Ash wednesday is a christian holy day of prayer and fasting. Download the pdf version of our 2017 lenten reflection guide. The source of all sorrow is the illusion that of ourselves we are anything but. Join us for this weekend of spiritual enrichment and growth. We spend one day a week not eating meat, and on a few days we skip meals altogether. The thomas merton studies center at bellarmine college in louisville, kentucky, contains over 10,000 items related to merton and some 3,000 of his manuscripts. A 365 daily with inspirational and provocative selections from the journals of thomas merton combined with drawings and photographs by merton. Nevertheless, the liturgy of ash wednesday is not focused on the sinfulness of the penitent but on the mercy of god the god of ash wednesday is like a calm sea of mercy. Thomas merton expressed this vision in his poetry, novels, essays, devotionals, and autobiographical writings. Daily meditations from his journals merton, thomas, jonathan montaldo on.
Thomas merton prize in poetry of the sacred duotrope. Thomas merton believed that racism and militarism were the two most urgent issues of his time. Thomas merton ocso january 31, 1915 december 10, 1968 was an american trappist monk, writer, theologian, mystic, poet, social activist, and scholar of comparative religion. It is necessary that at the beginning of this fast, the. Contemplative prayer by thomas merton bahai studies. Nor do i really know myself, and the fact that i think i. Nevertheless, the liturgy of ash wednesday is not focussed on the sinfulness of the penitent but on the mercy of. In the easter vacation of 1929 i had been with father at canterbury, where he was. The thomas merton center and the international thomas merton society at bellarmine university the thomas merton center at bellarmine university. Ash wednesday can remind us that we, who have been given the promise of life everlasting, have nothing to fear. Peters square on ash wednesday, pope francis called on the faithful to reflect on how the coming 40 days are a good time to make room for the word of god in our lives. An ever growing number of books by and about thomas merton are now available in electronic format with many more due to be released in the coming months and years. A journey with gospel nonviolence lent comes providentially to reawaken us, to shake us from our lethargy, pope francis said.
In the deserts of the heart let the healing fountains start in the prison of his days teach the free man how to praise w. Lent not denial but transformation missio alliance. The lenten prayer for this week is written by trappist monk thomas merton. Thomas merton center sits among other participants in the bangkok conference of benedictine and trappist monks.
One of the witty canons of st pauls has also proposed ash and carry. Likewise, each reply from jesus comes from deuteronomy. We do not reason about dogmas of faith, or the mysteries. In the prayer of the heart we seek first of all the deepest ground of our identity in god. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. I am glad that the clergy of the diocese of london are showing creativity in communicating the meaning of this day. In the following poem merton names the spiritual practice of silence and the fire that is enkindled in the deep silence of meditation, the via negativa of being still. Photography of thomas merton various articles and catalogues place of obedience in monastic renewal, the. Lent, wrote thomas merton, is not just a time for squaring.
Ash wednesday and gospel nonviolence maryknoll office. He was the author of more than 60 books, including the story of his conversion, seven storey mountain, a modern spiritual classic. As a prose writer who published more than forty volumes of autobiography and theology, thomas merton is surprisingly homogenous, dealing. For a fuller reflection on the history and purpose of this church holiday see my post from last year titled ash wednesday 101. According to thomas merton, even the darkest moments of the liturgy are filled with joy, and, the beginning of the lenten fast, is a day of happiness, a christian feast. Evening prayer 26 february 2020 pastor michael moores. It is the time to give up useless words, chatter, rumors, gossip, and talk and to speak directly to the lord, he said, it is a time in which to dedicate ourselves to an ecology of the. We have to be clear about our starting point and all that impedes us in or pilgrimage to new life. Brandon nappi, whose own life was profoundly influenced by the writings of thomas merton, will present day and evening retreats on the iconic christian author on ash wednesday, feb. Both programs will include mass and the distribution of ashes. Thomas merton was a person who brought focus to what was going on in civic and roman catholic circles by challenging. Eliots ash wednesday has been described by poet edwin muir as one of the most moving poems he eliot has written, and perhaps the most perfect. Ash wednesday is one of the most popular and important holy days in the liturgical calendar. The passionist retreat team offers inspirational talks on the theme, as well as time for quiet reflection, mass, confession, and outdoor.
The saint dominic church annual mens retreat will be held at mater dolorosa retreat center on the weekend of march. Yes, we will return to ash someday but, in our returning, we will receive an everlasting place in gods kingdom. In laying upon us the light cross of ashes, the church desires to take off our shoulders all other heavy. News ashwedmerton holy family passionist retreat center.
It is observed by catholics in the roman rite, anglicans, lutherans, methodists, moravians, and independent catholics, as well as by many from the reformed faith. Thomas mertons most famous prayer a good prayer for. Lent, which began on ash wednesday and ends this thursday, commemorates the 40 days jesus spent fasting in the wilderness, alone and tempted by the devil. It is an invitation to a journey like jesus journey into the wilderness for forty days, where he endured. For ash wednesday, share the following journal reflection on the temptation of jesus from luke 4. The international thomas merton society was founded in 1987 and reports a. Point out that each of the temptations of jesus is a temptation against the shema. It is from from thoughts in solitude 1958 my lord god, i have no idea where i am going. A side note on the bulletin in the ash wednesday service tonight at my lutheran church. This article will examine a couple reasons for why christians wear ashes upon their foreheads. Learn more about his life, conversion, writings, and legacy with this article. Michael mort called it the seven mountains of thomas merton. Brandon nappi, whose own life was profoundly influenced by the writings of thomas merton, will present day and evening retreats on this iconic christian author on ash wednesday, feb. Meditations on lent from our main man the mystic mr.
So much of our love, our service, our commitment is hinged on the worthiness of the recipient. A couple of months ago i came across this quote from thomas mertons seasons of celebration. Write them in your journal or on a card you carry with you for the next 40 days. The source of all sorrow is the illusion that of ourselves we are anything but dust. The center for interfaith relations is proud to sponsor the thomas merton prize in poetry of the sacred, inspired by the legacy of thomas merton poet, hermit, activist, artist and interfaith pioneer whose life continues to inspire millions. This wednesday is a long way from ash wednesday, but all our wednesdays are marked by ashes we begin this day with that taste of ash in our mouth. Ash wednesday program celebrates work of thomas merton.
Merton wrote more than 50 books in a period of 27 years, mostly on spirituality, social justice and a quiet pacifism, as well as. Contemplative prayer by thomas merton what is the purpose of meditation in the sense of the prayer of the heart. Seasons of celebration by thomas merton book excerpt. This article will try to shed light on the use of themes, symbols.
Ash wednesday opens lent, a season of fasting and prayer. Thomas merton, roman catholic monk, poet, and prolific writer on spiritual and social themes, one of the most important american roman catholic writers of the 20th century. The question of sinfulness is raised precisely because this is a day of mercy, and the just do not need a saviour. Though traditionally a catholic observance, ash wednesday service and the forty days of lent. I received this afternoon a photo of one of our priests offering ash to go outside notting hill underground station. I was not to be an article thrown together, on the common. Ash wednesday, in the christian church, the first day of lent, occurring six and a half weeks before easter between february 4 and march 11, depending on the date of easter. He called his own life story the seven storey mountain. Ash wednesday is a particular occasion for this sober examination but it is a continuing theme throughout lent. Thomas merton, lent, and the perils of avoiding suffering ed rogers ive sometimes wondered what lent must look like to a nonreligious person. Thomas merton, lent, and the perils of avoiding suffering.
Thomas merton 19151968 a monk who lived in isolation for several years, and yet became one of the most wellknown catholic writers of the twentieth century, thomas merton was a prolific poet, religious writer, and essayist with an amazing diversity of published work. Merton, the famous trappist monk and bestselling author, has now been dead for almost as long as he had lived. With the elections of president obama, the overt racist rhetoric. Ash wednesday is a solemn reminder of human mortality and the need for reconciliation with god and marks the beginning of the penitential lenten season.
On may 26, 1949, he was ordained to the priesthood and given the name father louis. A priest friend posted the following image on facebook this morning, describing it as artsy church decor for lent. Poetry has been called the language of the soul and this annual contest encourages poets to awaken their reader to the deep meaning and. Quarantine life is starting to feel like a real lent cnn. Essays and criticism on thomas merton critical essays. I wail and moan as i think of death, and see that our human splendor created in gods image, now shapeless, uncomely and unattractive is laid in the grave. The veneration of saints in the episcopal church is a continuation of an ancient tradition from. It is preceded by shrove tuesday and falls on the first day of lent, the six weeks of penitence before easter. Ash wednesday is traditionally observed by western christians.
The merton legacy trust, devoted to gathering all future merton scholarship, is also located at bellarmine. If i remember correctly, it was later reprinted in seasons of celebration 1965. That is not the entire context of the merton quote, but i believe it is the heart of the matter. Submitted by kathy colello, holy family retreat center. This is often forgotten by catholics themselves, and therefore it is not surprising that those who are not catholic often have a completely wrong conception of. The international thomas merton society, corpus christi chapter merton had a shower, and then, very possibly with the soles of his feet still wet, grasped a large standing fan that was defective and took a full 220 volts of direct current. Merton and the merton prayer for your sunday morn february 21, 2010 by rev. This is neil the following excerpt is from merton s short article, ash wednesday, which appeared in worship in 1959. The final section of her essay is lyric, poetic, and worthy of being. We should be asking one another come ash wednesday a more pertinent question. Celebrating the lenten and easter seasons thomas merton center. Nor do i really know myself, and the fact that i think i am following your will does not mean that i am actually doing so.