We have made it to day 20! Woo Hoo. Hang in there! Merton is still in grad school working on his masters. Intellectually he is primed to become a Christian and feels he is living a better life. But he says he was fooling himself. He was still carousing, chasing women and thinking only of himself. His actions hadn't changed yet. [ Much like we discussed yesterday.] He goes on to say:
I think that if there is one truth that people need to learn, in the world, especially today, it is this: the intellect is only theoretically independent of desire and appetite in the ordinary, actual practice. It is constantly being blinded and perverted by the ends and aims of passion, and the evidence it presents to us with such a show of impartiality and objectivity is fraught with interest and propaganda. We have become marvelous at self-delusion; all the more so, because we have gone to such trouble to convince ourselves of our own infallibility. pg 205
So don't be thrown off by the philosophical language that Merton is using here. He is saying that while we try to be impartial in our thinking it is constantly blinded by our passions yet we don't see it because we have become masters of our own infallibility. Now he was referring to his spiritual life. Are we doing as well as we think we are? This ties back to our modern person discussion and our discussions about christian friends. Do we have mentors and friends that can cross check us? Are we brave enough to give and receive honest, loving feedback? Remember, the Pharisees thought they were doing a great job. Jesus gave them feedback multiple times, most didn't take it well! When we ask God for feedback what do we hear?
My prayer for today; Lord, enlighten me as to my actions. Keep me from self-delusions and pride of my accomplishments. Give me a pure heart to follow you more closely. Amen
Pax
Joe
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