For What It's Worth by Erin

“I must return to Paradise. I must recover myself, salvage my dignity, re-collect my lost wits, and return to my true identity.”

—Thomas Merton

 

I first discovered these words by Merton while on retreat at my favorite monastery, St. Andrew’s Abbey in Valyermo, CA. These words were the exact reason why I was there on retreat. St. Andrew’s is my Paradise. The first time I went on retreat there, it was clear that God was expecting me. I saw and found Christ everywhere. I was deeply hungry for an experience of God, and He blessed me with an answer for that yearning. That first retreat changed my whole life and I returned 4 times that first year, to pray and deepen what had begun to change in me.
 

All of us need a place to re-collect the pieces of ourselves that we have misplaced or forgotten about, especially the part that was created in the likeness and image of God. We have been created for something bigger than this world and are called to be holy. And we can’t do any of this by ourselves!
 
All of us need to find our Paradise. Essentially, that is the place that we can give our “all”, only to God. It can be as dramatic as a monastery, as beautifully simple as our Adoration Chapel at Holy Trinity, or that quiet place we pray in, in our homes. It is Christ Who is calling us. When we show up, we will know that God has been expecting us and that He’s waiting to welcome us with His open arms!
 

Have a great week everybody! +