Reflection: Daily Life

Thomas Merton was a famous writer and Trappist monk in Kentucky.  His faith journey was a long one to becoming a Catholic, much like many of our faith journey's are long towards becoming Christians.  There is a lot to learn from this monk, who writes in a beautiful and artistic style through narrative, auto-biography mixed with theological "gems" so to speak.  

As Thomas Merton is speaking about his life in his autobiography The Seven Storey Mountain, he describes a small family in the mountains of France with whom he spent time.  He paints their portrait like this:  "And they were saints in that most effective and telling way: sanctified by leading ordinary lives in a  completely supernatural manner, sanctified by obscurity, by usual skills, by common tasks, by routine, but skills, tasks, and routine which received a supernatural form from grace within, and from the habitual union of their souls with God in deep faith and charity."

We have been exploring a certain slice of theological pie recently on this blog...that is how we handle power, how it relates to politics and how it shows itself in our own lives.  It is good to come up for fresh air and realize that the most important place to find God is in our daily lives; the place where God is transforming us and where we are witnessing to Jesus is as we go about our daily chores, routines, 9-5 jobs, and in dealing with family. 

Theology is important as it can help us to explore important issues in our everyday lives.  But even more important it to show the love of God in our lives by first spending time with God (every day - it takes time to be saturated in the love of God!), then doing the simple things that are right in front of us to do and to do them unto God.  Finally, we love others through all these simple things.  Living out discipleship is not about waiting for an epic conversion, or a mysterious calling to come, or about getting hit with a lightening to get us moving.  Living out discipleship happens in the very ordinary things and choices we make in everyday life - so don't wait.  Just start.

Quote is from: Merton, Thomas.  The Seven Storey Mountain. 50th anniversary edition. USA: Harcourt Brace Inc, 1948. 62.