xt7qjq0sv88n https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7qjq0sv88n/data/mets.xml  Thomas Merton 1967 This letter is from collection 75m28 Thomas Merton papers. archival material 75m28 English  Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Thomas Merton correspondence Easter Letter from Thomas Merton, 1967 text Easter Letter from Thomas Merton, 1967 1967 1967 2023 true xt7qjq0sv88n section xt7qjq0sv88n Abbey of Gethsemani
Trappist PO Ky?
h0073

EASTER 1967

Dear Friends:

It has been a beautiful warm Easter here, though the most recent news from
the East Coast complains of much snowo Jim Forest wrotefrom his CPFoffice in Nyack
that he felt like Dr ZHivago in Siberia and Adrienne Mariani had some amusing sugges-
tions about what might be done to discourage the ground hog from sticking his head
out and being confronted with despair. Actually, however, it was eighty all after-
no“a here on Holy Saturday and sixty at one thirty aam, when I got back to my cell
after the Easter Vigile

Answering letters individually gets to be more and more of a problemm Not that
I am pitying myself; but just to giVe new correspondents some idea why I simply cane
not answer letters mest of the time: Besides my ordinary work I now have on my desk
the following: One complete manuscript of a novel on which I am asked to comment by
a publisher» A set of galleys of a book on Zen, ditton Several chapters of a book
on mysticism to read and criticize, A long statement on the Vietnam war I am supposed
to sign (generally I don‘t sign any of these statements, because I can‘t read the papers
or watch TV to keep up as others do)” A list of twenty four magazine articles which
I must either read and report on myself; or get others to summarize, for the magazine
of the Ordero A book review article of six or seven books about CamusE in state of
outline, to be written somehow in the next week or son At least two books to review
for the magazine of the Order (I mention only the two that happen.to be directly
visible at the moments There are prdbablv others on the shelf behind me or buried
under the mass of other material that confronts‘meo) Finally, on top of that, I have
an urgent report to Write on an official matter, and am requested to give this top
priorityc And so ono The life of a writing hermit is certainly not one of lying aro-
und in the sun or of pious navel gazingq Nevertheless there is the question of medi—
tation which3 to me, is always the first thing of all because without it the rest be—
comes meaninglessO In such circumstances, writing letters? receiving visits and so
on would simply complicate matters beyond all reasonable measureo Yet I do of course
have to answer business mail, urgent requests, questions from people in a state of
crisisg and all theta carrying On an ordinary friendly correspondence is normally
just out of the questions Note also that I have no secretary for correspondence, and
that it is increasingly difficult to find soneone in the monastery to type manuscripts”
(I am most grateful to the ones who are helping me in this matter, both inside and
outside the monasteryc)

I recommend a very interesting and important new magazine which is being published.
at Cambridge (England)m The first issues have just reached men It is called "Theoria
to Theory" and the purpose is to get some lively dialOgue going between theologians
and contemplatives on one hand and secular scientists, philosophers and humanists on
the other» It is the most promising new venture of its kind that I have seen” It
is edited by Anglicans and is more informal and free wheéling than the new Roman
Catholic publications which still strike me as too formal and still a bit triumphal-
istn (There is or course a new aggressive triumphalism of the left just as there is
an old stuffy triumphalism of the right). Part of the editorial in the first issue
reads as follows: “To those whooo.still hope there might be something in Christian-
ity or indeed in any other riligion we Would simply say: Things aren‘t as hopeless
as you might thinks There are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of
in any of the philos0phies currently in usea Nil illegitime carborundum, which is

 

 2

hot dog latin for,"Don't let the bastards grind you down." The magazine can be ob-
tained from 9 Marion Close, Cambridge, England.

A friend wrote quoting a line of verse:“In the juvescence of the year comes
Christ the Tiger“ and wondered if Easter was going to be like that. There is an
inner strength which is”ours" yet "not ours“, which can be for us or against us, de-
pending on whether we resolve to face it and submit, or Seek to evade and resist it.
Easter is the season of that strength (and Easter is all year round, really). At
Easter we resolve liturgically and communally to "face it“ and to join this Tiger
who is then our Tiger and our'Lamb° (I am thinking of the two great Blake poems:
"Tyger Tyger burning bright...")’ There is no joy but in the victory of Christ over
death in us: and all 10ve that is valid has Something of that victory. But the
power of love cannot "win" in us if we insist on opposing it with something else
to which we can cling, on which we trust beCause we ourselves can manipulate it.

It all depends who is in contrOl: our own ego, or Christ. we must learn to surren-
der our ego-mastery to His mastery. "And this implies a certain.independence even

of apparently holy systems and routines, official "answers” and infallible gimmicks
of every kind. Easter celebrates the victory of love over everything. Amer vincit
omnia. If we believe it we sill understand it, because belief is what opens the
door to love. But to believe only in systems and statements and not in people is

an evasion, a betrayal of love. When we really believe as Christians, we find our-
selves trusting and accepting people as well as dogmas. woe to us when we are mere-
ly orthodox, and reject human beings, flesh and blood, the aspirations, joys and needs
of men. Yet there is no fruit, either, in merely sentimental gestures of communion
that mean little, and seek only to flatter or placate. Love can also be tough and
uncompromising in its fidelity to its own highest principles. Let us be united in
joy, peace and prayer this Easter and always. "Fear not“ says Jesus “It is I. I am
with you all days:..."

All my love, in Christ,

IWW