Dear Miscellaneous Mystics:

The other day I read the quote attributed to Thomas Merton (1915-1968), “People may spend their whole lives climbing the ladder of success only to find, once they reach the top, that the ladder is leaning against the wrong wall.” I thought it was a great metaphor for this year’s stewardship theme, “A Way of Seeing”. I wanted to find the context in which the great contemplative American monk uttered these wise words, hoping to find an even deeper explication of how Merton perceived the shallowness of human ambition. It was my intent to stand with him in deep discernment made possible by his many years of silent reflection.

The more I dug, however, the more disappointing my search became