What I Am Living For

I am excited that this week marks the publication of a collection of essays on Thomas Merton, one of them coming from yours truly.  The book is titled What I Am Living For: Lessons from the Life and Writings of Thomas Merton.  Edited by Jon M. Sweeney, there are contributions from Bishop Robert Barron, Fr. James Martin, Fr. Dan Horan, Sue Monk Kid, Robert Ellsberg, as well as a number of others.  Here is a short description:
What I Am Living For offers readers new to Merton, as well as longtime enthusiasts, an opportunity to see how the influential twentieth-century monk and writer continues to encourage the awakening of faith in the twenty-first century.

The book is in two parts. Each contributor to part one focuses on an aspect of the spiritual life that is of vital importance today and on which Merton made a profound impact. These include:

• Martin—Finding who God intends you to be
• Ellsberg—The spiritual need for solitude and stability
• Oakes—The importance of coming to terms with our sexuality, whether married, single, or celibate
• Horan—The importance of dialogue with God, culture, society, and people of other faiths

Part two features shorter, often more personal reflections on the future of faith, the life and teachings of Merton, and what he still says to anyone who seeks a relationship with God.

My contribution comes in the form of a short essay in part two of the book, where I write about how I came to appreciate Thomas Merton after many years of actively avoiding him.  So, if you are a Thomas Merton fan or simply curious about him, this book promises to have plenty of insights about this man who helped to nurture and rediscover the importance of contemplation for both monks and lay people, while also being active in the non-violence movement and inter-religious dialogue.  This book, conveniently, comes out in this 50th anniversary year of Thomas Merton's death.

Bishop Barron & The Message & Merton, Oh My!

This morning, I just wanted to share a few things that are going to be coming available in the coming weeks and months.

First off, thank you to Kenneth for pointing out that in the most recent Word on Fire Show podcast, hosted by Brandon Vogt and Bishop Robert Barron, they announced that later this year they would be publishing a new bible with commentary from Bp. Barron and other theologians.  It is aimed at the "nones", a growing demographic in America that most often identifies themselves as agnostic or atheist.  Nothing more was said about the content of this bible or the translation that will be used.  More info will be shared here when I get it.

Secondly, I want to thank those of you who purchased the Advent devotional that my wife and I created for ACTA Publications.  If you enjoyed it, we do have a Lenten devotional out now called Walking Together in Freedom.  Similar to the Advent one, this edition has a selection from the daily Lenten readings (in The Message: Catholic/Ecumenical Edition translation) presented, with a short reflection and space for daily journaling.  Also, once again, my wife has done the cover art work and a number of beautiful hand-drawn illustrations to supplement the text.  Below is a short description:

What does it mean to “walk together in freedom”? Here is our chance to find out during this time of Lent. The words from the daily Mass readings, as taken from The Message: Catholic/Ecumenical Edition, practically jump off the page, inviting us to prayer, conversion, and our own vocation as Christians at our jobs and studies, with our families and loved ones, and in our community and civic involvement. Combined with Rakhi’s whimsical art and Tim and Rahki’s short but insightful reflections and ideas for practical action steps that anyone can take, this booklet makes a wonderful companion for a spiritually productive Lenten journey.

So, if you are looking for a Lenten devotional this year, consider picking up Walking Together in Freedom.  And heck, it is only $1.25!  

Lastly, I am honored to have an essay included in an upcoming book about Thomas Merton being published by Ave Maria Press in March.  The book is titled What I Am Living For: Lessons from the Life and Writings of Thomas Merton.  Edited by Jon M. Sweeney, there are contributions from Bishop Robert Barron, Fr. James Martin, Fr. Dan Horan, Sue Monk Kid, Robert Ellsberg, as well as a number of others.  Here is a short description:

What I Am Living For offers readers new to Merton, as well as longtime enthusiasts, an opportunity to see how the influential twentieth-century monk and writer continues to encourage the awakening of faith in the twenty-first century.

The book is in two parts. Each contributor to part one focuses on an aspect of the spiritual life that is of vital importance today and on which Merton made a profound impact. These include:

• Martin—Finding who God intends you to be
• Ellsberg—The spiritual need for solitude and stability
• Oakes—The importance of coming to terms with our sexuality, whether married, single, or celibate
• Horan—The importance of dialogue with God, culture, society, and people of other faiths

Part two features shorter, often more personal reflections on the future of faith, the life and teachings of Merton, and what he still says to anyone who seeks a relationship with God.

My contribution comes in the form of a short essay in part two of the book, where I write about how I came to appreciate Thomas Merton after many years of actively avoiding him.  So, if you are a Thomas Merton fan or simply curious about him, this book promises to have plenty of insights about this man who helped to nurture and rediscover the importance of contemplation for both monks and lay people, while also being active in the non-violence movement and inter-religious dialogue.  This book, conveniently, comes out in this 50th anniversary year of Thomas Merton's death.

Thomas Merton on the Psalms

Yesterday was the 49th anniversary of the death of Thomas Merton.  Anyone who has taken the time to read his works knows that the Psalms were vitally important to him.  Praying them in choir as a monk, as well as on his own, the Psalms helped to form him and his writings.  Liturgical Press publishes a short, but very insightful book by Merton on the Psalms called Praying the Psalms.  If you haven't read Merton before, it is a great entry point for his writings. 

"...the Psalms not only form our minds according to the mind of the Church, not only direct our thoughts and affections to God, but they establish us in God, they unite us to Christ. But they do this only if our hearts follow their thoughts and words back to the inspired source.... Therefore the sentiments of the Psalmist, which are the thoughts and sentiments of God Himself in His Church, must lead us into the hidden sanctuary of God. Where our treasure is, there will our hearts be also. The function of the Psalms is to reveal to us God as the 'treasure' whom we love because He has first loved us, to hide us, heart and soul, in the depths of His infinite Light. The Psalms, therefore, lead us to contemplation." -Praying the Psalms

Thomas Merton on the Bible

"The Bible claims to contain a message which will not merely instruct you, not merely inform you about the distant past, not merely teach you certain ethical principles, or map out a satisfying hypothesis to explain your place in the universe and give your life meaning--much more than that, the Bible claims to be: The Word of God. But what is this 'word of God'? Is it simply a word of extreme and incontestable authority? Does it impose on man an outrageous doctrine which as no real meaning for his life, but which has to be accepted under penalty of going to hell? Once again, this utter distortion of the Bible is the result of fragmentation, division, and partiality. The prophets themselves protested, in God's name, against the perversion of the word of God in the interests of sectarianism, nationalism, power, politics. (See Jeremiah 23:23-40.) To set up some limited human interest as an absolute to be blindly believed, followed and obeyed even unto death is to set up a 'dead word,' a destructive and idolatrous word in the place of the 'living word' of God. "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12).  The basic claim made by the Bible for the word of God is not so much that it is to be blindly accepted because of God's authority, but that it is recognized by its transforming and liberating power. The 'word of God' is recognized in actual experience because it does something to anyone who actually 'hears' it: it transforms his entire existence."  -Opening the Bible, 17-18