From New Seeds of Contemplation, emphasis in the original, ht MM:
Strong hate, the hate that takes joy in hating, is strong because it does not believe itself to be unworthy and alone. It feels the support of a justifying God, of an idol of war, an avenging and destroying spirit. From such blood-drinking gods the human race was once liberated, with great toil and terrible sorrow, by the death of a God Who delivered Himself to the Cross and suffered the pathological cruelty of His own creatures out of pity for them. In conquering death He opened their eyes to the reality of a love which asks no questions about worthiness, a love which overcomes hatred and destroys death.
But men have now come to reject this divine revelation of pardon, and they are consequently returning to the old war gods, the gods that insatiably drink blood and eat the flesh of men. It is easier to serve the hate-gods because they thrive on the worship of collective fanaticism. To serve the hate-gods, one has only to be blinded by collective passion. To serve the God of Love one must be free, one must face the terrible responsibility of the decision to love in spite of all unworthiness whether in oneself or in one’s neighbor. (pgs 73-74)
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3 responses to “Thomas Merton on Hate, Love, and Worth”
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Goodness. I had a copy of the above-pictured edition decades ago. One of many books traded back to bookshops over the years. The memory has been sparked and now I’m wishing I had that old copy once again.
Thanks!
Same here. The Seven Storey Mountain made Merton an inspirational figure to me, but the other stuff, when I first read it, was beyond what I had the life experience to grasp. Plus, the theology I’d been taught made me suspicious of some of his. I wish I still had New Seeds of Contemplation.
When I finished reading this mind blowing excerpt, the first thing that popped into my blown mind was, “meet the new boss, same as the old boss.” Then I glanced at the October playlist for, I swear to you, the first time.
Sorry that manic rendition by Labelle is sacrilegious.