Sunday Prayer

I'm preparing an extended, dialectical post on abortion for next week. But for now, I am happy to recall Thomas Merton, the twentieth century's answer to monasticism in the West and the East. He remembers that God - our answers, our perfect love and compassion - is both the nearest, most natural thing to us, and the most distant goal of our species. I felt this keenly when debating abortion at Policymic, since a compassionate response seems so natural, but the fiery response pretends to be better. I hope we can all overcome the competitive debate and find the God of compassionate answers.

In one sense we are always traveling, and traveling as if we did not know where we were going.
In another sense we have already arrived.

We cannot arrive at the perfect possession of God in this life, and that is why we are traveling and in darkness. But we already possess Him by grace, and therefore, in that sense, we have arrived and are dwelling in the light.

But oh! How far have I to go to find You in Whom I have already arrived!

(via Dating God)