The rush and pressure of modern life are a form, perhaps the most common form, of innate violence. To allow oneself to be carried away by a multitude of conflicting concerns, to surrender to too many demands, to commit oneself to too many projects, to want to help everyone in everything is to succumb to violence. More than that, it is cooperation with violence. The frenzy of the activist neutralizes his work for peace. It destroys her own inner capacity for peace. It destroys the fruitfulness of his own work because it kills the root of inner wisdom which makes work fruitful.
Technorati Tags: Mission: Thomas Merton: Spirituality
Great quote, not a Merton one I had come across before. Cheers. I hope you don't mind me putting it up on my blog.
Posted by: Lewis Pearson | 10/01/2007 at 11:40
Better add me to the violent crime stats....!!
Posted by: jem | 10/01/2007 at 13:03
its a wonderful quote wonder if you can get it to fit the screen as i am missing bit at the end of sentences and cannot scroll??
thought the reflection on business being a form of innate violence sums it up brilliantly
Posted by: neil warburtn | 10/01/2007 at 20:24
RIGHT ON, Mark! Thank you! Anything taken away from GOD is a violent act of faith in another direction. I sure needed to hear/read this! Adele
Posted by: Existential Punk | 10/01/2007 at 21:00
Neil, not sure why you're getting that, it should resize to fit the available space. But I'll email you the full quote
Posted by: Mark | 11/01/2007 at 00:21