I’ve been reading a wonderful book called My Life with the Saints by James Martin, SJ. It is a memoir of his life as a Jesuit as interpreted through a variety of heroic people (Catholics call them “Saints”) whose life stories enhanced his own understanding of his relationship to God and to the people he encounters on a daily basis.
His chapter on Thomas Merton, a Trappist Monk, who died in 1968, was a particularly compelling read for me. Almost 20 years ago I had read Merton’s journal, The Sign of Jonas. It described his life in the monastery over the course of five years as he prepared to be ordained a priest. Like any journal or diary, The Sign of Jonas entailed wading though more than a few entries detailing the mind-numbing quotidian of life in a monastery in which silence throughout the day is the norm rather than the exception. But, because Merton was recording his journey to the priesthood, there were more than a few nuggets of insight made by a brilliant young man who was convinced of his priestly calling, but who also wrestled with the demons of self-doubt and insecurity.
Here is how James Martin, SJ describes the impact Thomas Merton had on him:
Thomas Merton:
“struggled with some of the same things I did - pride, ambition, selfishness. And he was struggling with the same questions I was wondering about: What are we made for? Who is God? What is the purpose of our lives?”
At some point - however brief or extended - we all wrestle with these questions. Even the modern saint - Mother Teresa of Calcutta - stared at the abyss of self-doubt for significant periods. So, it seems, Merton’s struggles can be viewed as a natural part of the process leading to religious or spiritual maturity. Martin confirms this point by noting that:
”To me, Merton’s contradictions…revealed his deep humanity.”
Does that mean the unfolding challenges of the human condition can be compared to the lives of the Saints? Here’s what Merton had to say about that:
“For me, being a Saint means being myself”
For many of us, our piety precludes comparing ourselves to Saints; and yet, the human condition leads to an ongoing effort to be and to do good (sometimes successful, sometimes not)…and that’s as good a definition of sainthood as I can articulate. It is with this definition of sainthood in mind that we celebrate 27 years of devoted service by our beloved Principal Pat Bonacci, AFSC. And it is also with this definition in mind that we prepare to welcome Brother Christopher Brady, FSC as La Salle’s next principal. We have learned from Pat how to stay focused on the end-game: the central purpose of La Salle’s Mission to produce good students and good people. We have seen him model the virtues of dedication, commitment, patience and trust in others. We know what he stands for and the care and attention he brings to each individual encounter. We’ve seen him angry (rarely) and capable of self-doubt. In short, we’ve learned to respect, admire and have deep affection for a delightfully human principal.
In a like manner, we will learn - over time - the human and holy characteristics that make Brother Christopher a saint. We will discover his strengths and forgive his weaknesses. We will look to him - as we did to Pat - for guidance on how to become more saint-like. And he will look to us for guidance on how to encourage the students entrusted to our care to become more saint-like.
When I finished The Sign of Jonas, I remember being filled with hope that the human condition - while always a work in progress - is capable of producing saints on a regular basis. James Martin had this delightful way to describe the sanctity of Thomas Merton:
“Seeing that someone so human could be so holy gives me great hope.”
I agree.
At La Salle, we encounter more than a few examples of “saints-in-the-making…students, alums and teachers…all negotiating the same quotidian of daily living that challenged Thomas Merton to be his best self.
