Toward the end of Gandhi's life, Merton notes something that became quite evident to Gandhi and why this adventure seemed to be an apparent failure.
He saw that his followers had not reached the inner unity that he had realized in himself, and that their satyagraha (holding on to truth) was to a great extent a pretense, since they believe it to be a means to achieve unity and freedom, while he saw that it must necessarily be the fruit of inner freedom.
The inner unity...the inner healing...the inner peace - is the whole. If it is just a face put on for others or a face put on until a task is completed, there really is no peace or healing or unity. It all becomes a game that keeps being played over and over again. And yet, we are all in the middle of that game - I know I am. Yes, we long for non-violence and peace and love of all...but we also long for other things that never let us rest within the center of our lives that bring us a taste of that "fruit of inner freedom." This does not mean it is not there. It does not mean that we cannot be wooed by its fragrance and beauty. It merely means we must learn how to turn and turn and turn and review all things that long to rule us and keep us separated from others. That is no simple trip. That is the journey to the cross and we have been invited to go that way and there is a promise that it is ours for the taking....it is ours...
Connection: These are not mere feelings. This is about the foundation that becomes the power that initiates life itself. The foundation is there...we have been invited again today to trust that it really is.
We long for that rest that you promise, O God. O how we long for that rest. From there, you tell us that you will bring life. But now...first...teach us to rest in you alone...and then. Amen.
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