Merton – ALL in ALL

A quote from Thomas Merton. Left by Walter in the comments section and placed here for contemplation.

One thing has suddenly hit me – that nothing counts except love and that a solitude that is not simply the wide-openness of love and freedom is nothing. Love and solitude are the one ground of true maturity and freedom. Solitude that is just solitude and nothing else (i.e. excludes everything else but solitude) is worthless. True solitude embraces everything, for it is the fullness of love that rejects nothing and no-one, is open to All in All.
From the journals of Thomas Merton on Easter Thursday, April 14th 1966,

(The Journals of Thomas Merton, Volume Six 1966-1967, Harper Collins).

In the next paragraph Merton writes, After several days of rain the sky is clearing. Afternoons at the hermitge become once again possible. I walked a bit in the woods….

There is space enough on a chair, a bench or cushion for one solitary person. In generosity. And then we get up and walk out into the sunshine, or rain.

Thank you Walter, bows to you for typing out the quote and offering it here.

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2 thoughts on “Merton – ALL in ALL”

  1. A beautiful quote, it seems a religious experience as if Thomas Merton solved his koan.
    Sometimes I like solitude and nothing else; maybe there is no love in it, but there is peace.

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