Prayer of Thomas Merton

I had my monthly spiritual direction session earlier this week. I can not believe there are all that many Christian directors who would tell me, after disclosing the latest developments in my spiritual life: "I think you are very much in a formation period, and it will be exciting to see what comes out of it."

(For the non-specialists reading this, "formation" is the process of deepening, growth, and discernment prior to taking on a formal religious vocation such as ordination -- or becoming a spiritual director.)

After our session, he sent me this prayer by Thomas Merton. It pretty much sums up the foundation of my faith since my existential crisis:


My Lord God
I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
Nor do I really know myself,
and the fact that I think I am following your will
does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that my desire to please you
does in fact please you.
And I hope that I have that desire
in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything
apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this
you will lead me by the right road
though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore will I trust you always
though I may seem to be lost
and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear,
for you are ever with me,
and you will never leave me
to face my perils alone. - Thomas Merton (1915-1968)