Thomas Merton and the Trappist Gethsemani Abbey

Here is a prayer that one of my international online certificate program students just shared with the course. She found it at Gethsemani, the Trappist monastery that Thomas Merton made so famous. There is also one of my favorite prayers by Merton that another student shared. (You can tell that Thomas Merton is one of the contemporary authors we are reading in this Unit.)

A LITANY of the PERSON

Image of God

Born of God’s breath

Vessel of divine Love

After his likeness

Dwelling of God

Capacity for the infinite

Eternally known

Chosen of God

Home of Infinite Majesty

Abiding in the Son

Called from eternity

Life in the Lord

Temple of the Holy Spirit

Branch of Christ

Receptacle of the Most High

Wellspring of Living Water

Heir of the kingdom

The glory of God

Abode of the Trinity

God sings this litany

Eternally in his Word

This is who you are.

This is definitely Merton's prayer and a favorite of many:

MY LORD GOD, I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you.
And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.