Tuesday 1 July 2008

From "Solitude is Not Separation" - Thomas Merton

Humanity seeks unity because it is the image of the One God. Unity implies solitude, and hence the need to be physically alone. But unity and solitude are not metaphysical isolation... Solitude is not and can never be a narcissistic dialogue of the ego with itself. Such self-contemplation is a futile attempt to establish the finite self as infinite, to make it permanently independent of all other beings. And this is madness. Note, however, that it is not a madness peculiar to solitaries - it is much more common to those who try to assert their own unique excellence by dominating others. This is the more usual sin.

As we are always drawn back into the unity of the whole, we find that the solitude in which we enter is always very connected to the unity of the image of God. The way I best envision this is when I find myself far away from the community of faith in which I serve. Out there, in solitude, my mind and my vision and my openness to the future and my imagination spring to life and is very involved in the ongoing creation of community. Solitude helps in that conversation...it is quite necessary. It is good to hear that the madness that can become a part of a narcissistic adventure in solitude can be the same kind of madness that comes about within a community in which a person seeks to dominate the others in community. I would agree with Merton that this second madness is really the usual way we encounter sin. The person in solitude who may be narcissistic is not someone who would have a great impact on others.

Connection: One of the responsibilities we have as followers of Jesus is to make sure that others among us do not fall prey to isolation. We do not simply seek community for ourselves, we are also called to respond to the others who grace our table with their presence. If they are not around, we all lose a bit of this image of God among us.

Lord of Life, you shine throughout the gathering of your saints so that as each of us looks around, we are reminded of the essence of your being that comes to be more complete as we continue to gather and come to life as one body. Thanks to you, O God. Amen.