The Intimate Merton

This book abridges the seven volumes of Thomas Merton's journals, offering a glimpse into his life and the deeper currents of his thought. Due to its form, it is especially suitable for spiritual reading as none of the entries is very long. A poignant entry from March 18th 1959 discusses the difference between the old and the new. For the old man, everything is old, 'he has seen everything or thinks he has. He has lost hope in anything new....he is not open to anything new, his life is stagnant and futile.' He goes on: 'For the new man everything is new. Even the old is transfigured in the holy spirit and is always new. There is nothing to cling to. The new man lives in a world that is always being created and renewed. He lives in this realm of renewal and creation. He lives in life.'