I did not know the man; I
wish I had. Still his impact on my young
life was powerful.
I was seventeen when I
first read The Seven Storey Mountain and I identified with the story of his conversion
– indeed, his life. I wanted to emulate him, I even briefly considered becoming
a nun, and lived my life as a staunch Catholic until 9 years of a disastrous
marriage cured me of religion and the Catholic Church to which I never
returned.
Little did I know that
Merton was undergoing an enlightenment of his own; he was beginning to study
the ancient Eastern religions and meet with masters of wisdom in Zen, Buddhism -- the Dalai Lama. Thomas Merton was “catholic”
in the truest sense of the word. Perhaps this new and liberal Pope will follow his path of inclusiveness.
Happy 100th
birthday, Thomas Merton.
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