Pastoral Thought-July 28

  In the podcast, Turning to the Mystics, James Finley retells a number of stories about his time with Thomas Merton. Back in the 1960s Finley felt a calling to the monastic life from God. The more that he prayed and spent time listening to God’s voice and guidance, the more this call became clearer and clearer. He had to go. . .

He arrived at the Abbey of Gethsemani in rural Kentucky and began his life at the monastery with excitement and passion.

 

Now, each new student (or monk-to-be) who joins the Abbey at Gethsemani is assigned a spiritual director and mentor as they begin their journey of faith. This is an individual who will walk one-on-one with the new student as they begin their monastic life. The spiritual director will help guide the new monk through the challenging transition and guide them toward silence and contemplation. Finley was assigned Merton. 

But for those who are familiar with Merton’s work, Finley was intimidated to be given such as famous spiritual director. Yet Merton would not treat him any differently throughout their mentoring relationship. 

On an early encounter, which Finley retells on his podcast, Merton asked his student “how’s it going?” Finley was having a hard transition (as was expected by them both). He says that he could not pray. He struggled to read the Bible reflectively. Stillness was almost impossible as was the necessary posture of contemplation that a monk needed to find God at work with them. He felt like a failure as a Christian. James Finley confessed that he must have made a mistake by coming to Gethsemani and wondered about leaving the monastery and returning to civilian life. 

Merton was not phased by his student’s struggle. Instead of advice, or offering a piece of sage wisdom to his struggling student, Merton asked if Finley had been to the pig barn yet. Finley thought, “That’s odd.” But replied that he had been there but not today. So Merton gave him an assignment: go to the barn before our next meeting and see the pigs. And Finley obediently followed the instructions that he was given.

 

He travelled down to the barn, walked around, looked at the pigs, and then came to see Merton at their next appointment (which was the following day). Sitting in his chair the young student wondered what piece of spiritual depth Merton was about to pass on to him because he went to the barn and noticed the pigs.

 

Their session began. . . and Merton only asked how the pigs were today? And Finley told him how they were. He commented on what they were doing and how their overall health appeared. Merton nodded and asked him to do that same thing before tomorrow’s time and their time ended for the day. 

 

Merton never told Finley why he asked about the pigs—just go and notice them. I wonder what wisdom might come in your life from just observing what is taking place right under your nose? Outside in the yard? Or across the room? Perhaps today, just go to your own metaphorical barn and notice it. . . 

Blessings
Rev. Derek