Thomas Merton, The Hidden Ground Quotes

A collection of quotes by Thomas Merton, The Hidden Ground.

Thomas Merton, born on January 31, 1915, in Prades, France, was an American Trappist monk, theologian, writer, and mystic who gained significant recognition for his spiritual writings. Although his parents were artists and atheists, Merton embraced Catholicism at a young age and eventually found his calling within the monastic life.

In 1941, Merton entered the Abbey of Gethsemani in Kentucky and professed his vows as a Trappist monk. He devoted himself to a life of prayer, solitude, and contemplation, striving to deepen his understanding of God and the human experience. Merton's writings, characterized by their profound spirituality and insights into the intersections of faith and modern society, gained wide acclaim.

His most notable work, "The Seven Storey Mountain" (1948), is a spiritual autobiography that chronicles his journey toward conversion and his early years as a monk. Merton went on to write extensively on various topics, including peace, social justice, nonviolence, and the contemplative life, often engaging with Eastern philosophies and mysticism.

Thomas Merton's impact extended far beyond the monastic walls. While seeking solitude, he corresponded with prominent figures like Martin Luther King Jr., Dorothy Day, and Allen Ginsberg, and became an influential voice in the peace and civil rights movements of the 1960s.

Tragically, on December 10, 1968, Merton passed away at the age of 53, following an accidental electrocution in Bangkok, Thailand. Despite his untimely death, the legacy of Thomas Merton lives on through his enduring writings, which continue to inspire and challenge individuals in their spiritual journeys.

You must realize that it is the ordinary way of God's dealin

You must realize that it is the ordinary way of God's dealings with us that our ideas do not work out speedily and efficiently as we would like them to. The reason for this is not only the loving wisdom of God, but also the fact that our acts have to fit into a great complex pattern that we cannot possibly understand. I have learned over the years that Providence is always a whole lot wiser than any of us, and that there are always not only good reasons, but the very best reasons for the delays and blocks that often seem to us so frustrating and absurd.

Thomas Merton, The Hidden Ground

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