DIALOGUE WITH THOMAS MERTON | PART 4

I conclude this series with the final paragraph of Merton’s journal, which crescendoed and culminated in a vision of heaven. I am indebted to Merton for articulating the pure glory of God within each of us and for inviting us all to embrace such a worthy pursuit for ourselves and others.

A pure glory of God, Jaelen Yoonseul Kim

Again, that expression, le point vierge, (I cannot translate it) comes in here. At the center of our being is a point of nothingness which is untouched by sin and 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 lives, which is inaccessible 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. It is so to speak His name written in us, as our poverty, as our indigence, as our dependence, as our sonship. It is like a pure diamond, blazing with the invisible light of heaven. It is in everybody, and if we could see it we would see these billions of points of light coming together in the face and blaze of a sun that would make all the darkness and cruelty of life vanish completely . . . I have no program for this seeing. It is only given. But the gate of heaven is everywhere.

2020
The climactic words Merton uses here are astounding: “a point of nothingness, a point of pure truth, a point or spark which belongs entirely to God.” This nothingness is everything in that it is the only thing that really matters. It is God in us, love in us. It can never be distorted and tainted. Not even our mind or will. Nobody can take away this reality of original and ancient belonging to God. But it is “secret” and hidden and thus in need of discovery and cherishing. Awareness is what separates those who know God is in them from those who do not. And this awareness is given as a gift from God, not taught or manufactured. At the same time, recognizing illusions as illusions and separating illusions that govern our life and the world from the reality of “a pure diamond, blazing with the invisible light of heaven” is at the heart of spiritual transformation. This ability to penetrate illusions can only happen through solitude.

2025
Contemplation is about cultivating “absolute poverty.” We can finally see if we let go or empty our own mind and our will. In this state of unknowing, we, paradoxically, know and see. God can be known through our unknowing. The phrases, “a pure diamond, billions of points of light, blaze of a sun, the gate of heaven is everywhere,” pose a breathtaking design and vision of God for humanity.

Further Musing

Living life out of awareness is at the heart of living this life as God’s gift to us. In other words, life lived according to how God created us is the only way to live as aware souls. We can’t live as someone else. We all have to live according to how God created and made us in the Triune image and likeness.

Solitude is one sure way to be awakened to pursue and deepen awareness. Often, solitude allows the experience of deconstruction/disorder or breakdown of our false self. This is what Henri Nouwen calls the desert of loneliness. We see countless biblical saints who have been tested and matured through their own wilderness times.

As we become more aware, we begin to see others as “pure diamonds, blazing with the invisible light of heaven.” Not only do we see them as pure diamonds, but we also want to come alongside and be with them so that they can discover themselves as pure and immortal diamonds. This has to be done without violating the equality and solidarity with humanity. Nobody is a stranger. We are all pilgrims, walking on the road to discover who we are. Invariably, what we all do in life flows out of who we are (true self). And what we do (because we are made in God’s image and likeness) does and will reflect God’s Kingdom coming on this earth as it is in heaven.

Love guides our journey as pilgrims on earth and as citizens of heaven. It is the love within which is the love of God, perfectly demonstrated by Jesus Christ. It is love within seeing love in others as well as in all creation, all bonded together in God’s perfect love and moving toward love.