I need to be led by you.
I need my heart to be moved by you.
I need my soul to be made clean by your prayer.
I need my will to be made strong by you.
I need the world to be saved by you and changed by you.
I need you for all those who suffer, who are in prison, in danger, in sorrow.
I need you for all the crazy people.
I need your healing hands to work always in my life.
I need you to make me, as your Son, a healer, a comforter, a savior.
I need you to name the dead.
I need you to help the dying cross their particular river.
I need you for myself, whether I live or die.
I need to be your monk and your son.
It is necessary.
Amen.
(Merton, Journals, July 17, 1956, III46-47)
Comments
9 responses to “Merton Mondays #5 – I Need You”
I’m learning this very slowly.
I love these. Thanks!
Lovely.
And perfectly suited for me to hear today.
AMEN! I love Thomas Merton.
Love this! Had not heard of Merton. Wonderful.
Thanks Anne!
Appreciate this post.
Good stuff…for the risk of being cliche’ on a blog, I really needed to hear this today.
Struggled over the weekend with some self-inflicted bad days. I am convinced that we begin our demise the very second we start comparing ourselves to someone else. He has to be enough, period. This was a timely reminder.
Anne Jackson, you’ve done it again! Perfect timing.
Doubting days sneaked their ugly head to me. Thank you.
This piece by Merton impresses me for one special reason. Notice that he doesn’t just talk about loving God, or about God loving us, as many conservative ministers do. And he does not just talk about loving and helping his neighbors, as many liberal ministers do. He talks about both, as Jesus and the prophets did, and as we are supposed to do. I think I like this guy.
Beautiful. My favorite line: “I need your healing hands to always work in my life.” Yes Lord. and Amen.