A review by jtisreading
Contemplative Prayer by Thomas Merton

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.