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brontherun's review
4.0
A good look at contemplative prayer and meditation from both a broad historical perspective, and the importance of it's role in the Christian life. Merton relays practical advice on asceticism in daily and religious life. I particularly found his explanation of the void and emptiness of authentic meditation useful. One interesting quip: "Emptiness might just as well bring us face to face with the devil, and as a matter of fact it sometimes does. This is part of the peril of this spiritual wilderness."
pkgonzales7's review
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
3.75
As usual, Merton paints some profound truths, specifically about the role of contemplation in the prayer life of the individual and the Church, as rooted in many teachings of St. John of the Cross.
Not necessarily my favorite in terms of feeling as holistic as some of his other works, mostly because the somewhat more academic treatment of what other monks and bishops said about the active v. contemplative life, in the middle of this work, didn’t coalesce as nicely with some of the beautiful but hard insights in the beginning and ending of this.
Still, this squares with so much of what I have read about desert spirituality in other works and is one I will probably return to and ponder.
Not necessarily my favorite in terms of feeling as holistic as some of his other works, mostly because the somewhat more academic treatment of what other monks and bishops said about the active v. contemplative life, in the middle of this work, didn’t coalesce as nicely with some of the beautiful but hard insights in the beginning and ending of this.
Still, this squares with so much of what I have read about desert spirituality in other works and is one I will probably return to and ponder.
jtisreading's review
5.0
When I underline half the book I know I've found a treasure. Contemplative Prayer by Thomas Merton is no exception. Merton's analysis, synthesis, and developmental ideas set out in this little volume of a book is unbelievably thoughtful, scholarly, and experiential. To be fair, I have meant to read Merton for the past ten years and never got around to it before this treat of a book. Yes it is short, but it is rich. His dialogue with Saints and Clergy that came before him, his prophetic warning of nationalistic propaganda mixing with a liturgy is fascinating. How often we forget to silence and reverent the Creator, The Divine, Yahweh, Our Parent... we must let God's presence... be. Merton has helped me tremendously in my loudmouth journey, he reminds me to shut up... to let go of myself and to sit for the Creator's sake ... with open mind and heart.
davenash's review against another edition
5.0
Update: this is the third time and the longest time that I spent reading this short work on prayer.
Dread struck me this time. Merton combined Sartre and Heidegger with Catholic theology. For Merton Dread / Angst purified the unprofitable servant. It destroyed the glass house of Pharisee-ism. Man must confront this dread. Contemplative prayer is about this confrontation.
Contemplative prayer is to religion what original research is to science. You don't need a lot of words to pray, silence is the best prayer. The church of the contemplative is the church of the desert and you must always have the mind of the beginner.
This is just some of the sage advice Merton offers in this concise work on prayer life. While written for monks, it's introduction and advancement of the spiritual life is relevant for everyone.
The disappearance of contemplative prayer in the Catholic church is the number one reason for its utter failure since Merton wrote this last of work of his in 1967. He specifically warned about this, yet Cassandra like no one listened.
Catholics no longer engage in contemplative prayer, they no longer face dread. It's a feel good services or a right wing doom and gloom. Contemplative prayer is the only way to restore the faith.
Dread struck me this time. Merton combined Sartre and Heidegger with Catholic theology. For Merton Dread / Angst purified the unprofitable servant. It destroyed the glass house of Pharisee-ism. Man must confront this dread. Contemplative prayer is about this confrontation.
Contemplative prayer is to religion what original research is to science. You don't need a lot of words to pray, silence is the best prayer. The church of the contemplative is the church of the desert and you must always have the mind of the beginner.
This is just some of the sage advice Merton offers in this concise work on prayer life. While written for monks, it's introduction and advancement of the spiritual life is relevant for everyone.
The disappearance of contemplative prayer in the Catholic church is the number one reason for its utter failure since Merton wrote this last of work of his in 1967. He specifically warned about this, yet Cassandra like no one listened.
Catholics no longer engage in contemplative prayer, they no longer face dread. It's a feel good services or a right wing doom and gloom. Contemplative prayer is the only way to restore the faith.
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