Remembering Merton ~ December 10, 1968

Thomas Merton's work and life became known to me at an important point in my own journey of faith. I have much to say about him and love so much of his work. I will blog more about him soon, but right now I am remembering this wonderful person who helped me to see some hidden richness in the tradition that is Christianity. Remembering him today with love and fondness.

~ The Rev. Peter M. Carey

Thomas Merton - Dec 10 - "we are not converted only once"

"We are not converted only once in our lives but many times. 
And it is this endless series of upheavals, large and small, 
which leads to our transformation in Christ." - Thomas Merton

Whatever will be, will be

Caught by our own thoughts, 
we worry about everything.
But once we get drunk on that Love
Whatever will be, will be.
Rumi ♥

Advent - Day 1 "leaning into Advent"

First Sunday in Advent, and First Day of Advent

Daily Readings

Psalm 146    Isaiah 1: 1-9    2 Peter 3: 1-10    Matthew 25: 1-13

Sunday Readings

Isaiah 2:1-5   Romans 13:11-14   Matthew 24:36-44   Psalm 122

Leaning into Advent

When we read the lessons for this first day of Advent in the Daily Office, we see that they each describe a state of leaning.  The image for me is one of leaning forward, leaning into the future, leaning towards something that we might not quite see or know just yet, but leaning nonetheless.  The lesson from Isaiah (1: 1-9) describes the beginning of his vision which describes the destruction of his time - "cities burned with fire; in your very presence aliens devour your land" - but which also names the fact that God has left "a few survivors," there in that desolate place.  Even in the midst of turmoil and destruction, God has left a green shoot which will grow and thrive.  The image also points to our own time, time of trouble, time of turmoil, time of dissention, time of dividing differences.  But we should be reminded that God has provided a green shoot, a bit of hope even in the midst of chaos and change - and a bit of hope is all that is needed.  A bit of faith is all that is needed.

Also in the 2nd letter of Peter we hear words that offer the image of leaning, a leaning forward to a time when Christ will return.  The feet are firmly planted, but the body leans forward in hope and faith to a time of judgment, a time of reckoning, when God will return.  And this time will come "like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire."  All things will change, something new will happen, gloriously new, and we shall be filled with awe.  Our leaning forward in this time of Advent leads us into the deep understanding that God will break in upon this world in a new way, and also, incredibly, that God is always breaking into this world in a new way.

This new way of God breaking into the world should put us into a state of wakefulness, of mindfulness, of deep awareness.  The gospel of Matthew tells the story of the 10 wise bridesmaids who are ready, and are leaning forward into the future, they are ready for the groom who will return at any minute. The sense of waiting in anticipation, with expectation, is charged with the knowledge that God is always becoming known to us in new ways, are we really ready?  "Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour."

These Advent readings help us to lean forward into a state of eager anticipation and expectation.  Get ready!

~The Rev. Peter M. Carey

Advent – Putting on the armor of light

With the arrival of December 1^st, we are now into the first week of Advent.  It is a time of busy-ness all around us.  Families gathering, shopping to do, decorating, an increase in social obligations, work parties, community parties, school parties – is this true for you as well?  It is also a time of increasing darkness as we move toward the shortest days of the year just before Christmas breaks in with all of its light and life. 

With all this busy-ness, and all of this activity, we may feel bombarded with “to do” lists, and also with the sense that there is a disconnect between the spirituality of Advent and the reality of the “holiday season.”

A helpful balm in the midst of this busy time is our Collect for the first Sunday of Advent.  Some of you might have missed hearing the Collect if you were away for the Sunday just after Thanksgiving, but it is perhaps my favorite Collect of the entire church year:

Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

We pray that in this time of Advent that we would “cast away the works of darkness,” that, even in this busy time, with all the temptations to be “of the world,” we know that God is giving us grace.  In this time, we know that God is empowering us to find time to reflect, to ponder as Mary did, to seek to go deep, and also to remember God in the midst of the blitz of the holiday shopping season.

We pray that we would put on “the armor of light,” which is a fascinating image, one in which we use our own deep hope and joy to create a physical protection around ourselves.  However, this protection is not merely defensive, rather, like light itself, it fills the world with the light of Christ.  If you have read Harry Potter, this is something like (in my thinking) the notion of a patronus, which is a figure of light and life which emerges from our own positive thoughts of joy and hope.  This patronus or armor of light casts away the works of darkness, and all the things of this world which can steal away our hope and joy and love.

And so, I pray that even in the midst of the increasing darkness of these days, we all might find new ways to “put on an armor of light,” or (if you like) to push out our own patronuses into the world, projecting light, and hope and joy and peace and love into a world that is in such desperate need of them.  As we walk the ways of Advent, we prepare for the coming of the one true light, and we do not walk alone, for our armor is not merely protection for us, but is projected outward, and together we will fill even the darkest places with the light that God has provided.

Peter+