NSoC 15: Sentences

See Notes on this series...

This is a chapter of seemingly unrelated thoughts, a sort of Merton's Proverbs. Upon first reading I thought the title meant sentences, as in lines of words. He addresses writers a few times, which supports that thought. Subsequent readings, however, opened my eyes to the play on words (or in this case word) of the title, since he also addresses liberty, servility, and autonomy.

Some observations:

• Don't let the risk of failure keep you from trying.
• Modern men aren't interested in virtue unless it appeals to their intellect.
• "Our minds are like crows. They pick up everything that glitters, no matter how uncomfortable our nests get with all that metal in them."
• Merton admits that he doesn't know a much about the outside world but what he does know makes him believe that those living in it live "in ash cans."
• Writers afraid of criticism will never write anything worth reading.
• Faith requires doubt. Faith: "a judgment that is fully and deliberately taken in the light of a truth that cannot be proven."
• Faith is not just spiritual comfort. Before peace, there must be struggle.
• Memory of only the past is amnesia if not brought into the present.
• Men don't risk new life because they are afraid of new evils. They'd rather stick with the evils they know.
• Men who hang "Prepare to meet God!" signs make Merton think more about them than about Jesus. Are they forcing their version of Jesus on the rest of us?
• A difficult renunciation: resentment. It makes us live as slaves, when really the only person that keeps us from "living happily" is ourselves.
• Pretending to live in freedom from the gods is in itself slavery. Freedom from slavery is found only by serving God.
• "God did not invite the Children of Israel to leave the slavery of Egypt: He commanded them to do so."
• "The poet enters into himself in order to create. The contemplative enters into God in order to be created."
• Writing for God will bring joy to many. Writing for men will bring a little money and make a little noise. Writing for oneself will disgust you and make you wish you were dead.

Preach it, Fr. Louis.

Enjoy tomorrow's feast day. Back on Monday.