Thomas Merton Quotes About Nothingness
-
What does it mean to know and experience my own “nothingness?” It is not enough to turn away in disgust from my illusions and faults and mistakes, to separate myself from them as if they were not, and as if I were someone other than myself. This kind of self-annihilati on is only a worse illusion, it is a pretended humility which, by saying “I am nothing” I mean in effect “I wish I were not what I am.
→ -
The center of our being is a point of nothingness which is untouched by sin and by illusion, a point of pure truth.
→ -
At the center of our being is a point of nothingness which is untouched by illusion, a point of pure truth, a point or spark which belongs entirely to God, which is never at our disposal, from which God disposes of our life, which is inaccessable to the fantasies of our own mind or the brutalities of our own will. This little point of nothingness and of absolute poverty is the pure glory of God in us.
→ -
Surrender your own poverty and acknowledge your nothingness to the Lord. Whether you understand it or not, God loves you, is present in you, lives in you, dwells in you, calls you, saves you and offers you an understanding and compassion which are like nothing you have ever found in a book or heard in a sermon.
→ -
It is a glorious destiny to be a member of the human race, now I realize what we all are . If only they [people] could all see themselves as they really are I suppose the big problem would be that we would fall down and worship each other At the center of our being is a point of nothingness which is untouched by sin and by illusions, a point of pure truth This little point is the pure glory of God in us. It is in everybody.
→ -
To love our nothingness we must love everything in us that the proud man loves when he loves himself. But we must love it all for exactly the opposite reason.
→
Related Authors
-
Ernesto Cardenal Priest -
Mahatma Gandhi Civil rights leader -
John Howard Griffin Journalist -
Dietrich Bonhoeffer Pastor -
Rainer Maria Rilke Poet -
John of the Cross Saint -
-
Anthony de Mello Writer -
Henri Nouwen Priest -
Richard J. Foster Author -
Teresa of Avila Saint -
Flannery O'Connor Writer -
Paul Elie Writer -
Dorothy Day Journalist -
James Finley Politician -
Jean Vanier Philosopher -
-
Zhuangzi Philosopher -
Richard Rohr Priest -
Nhat Hanh Monk