The man who sweats under his mask, whose role makes him itch with discomfort, who hates the division in himself, is already beginning to be free.
THOMAS MERTON
THOMAS MERTON
Thomas Merton on beginning
Thomas Merton76 quotes“The man who sweats under his mask, whose role makes him itch with discomfort, who hates the division in himself, is already beginning to be free.”
Filed under
More from Thomas Merton
Love is our true destiny. We do not find the meaning of life by ourselves alone – we find it with another.
Thomas MertonThomas Merton Self-conquest is really self-surrender. Yet before we can surrender ourselves we must become ourselves. For no one can give up what he does not possess.
Thomas MertonThomas Merton Gratitude takes nothing for granted, is never unresponsive, is constantly awakening to new wonder.
Thomas MertonThomas Merton 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.
Thomas MertonThomas Merton Our job is to love others without stopping to inquire whether or not they are worthy.
Thomas MertonThomas Merton 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.
Thomas MertonThomas Merton How can I be sincere if I am constantly changing my mind to conform with the shadow of what I think others expect of me?
Thomas MertonThomas Merton Every one of us is shadowed by an illusory person: a false Self. We are not very good at recognizing illusions, least of all the ones we cherish about ourselves.
Thomas MertonThomas Merton Every breath we draw is a gift of God’s love; every moment of existence is a grace.
Thomas MertonThomas Merton In Silence God ceases to be an object and becomes an experience.
Thomas MertonThomas Merton Our real journey in life is interior; It is a matter of growth, deepening, and of an ever greater surrender to the creative action of love and grace in our hearts. Never was it more necessary to respond to that action.
Thomas MertonThomas Merton Our job is to love others without stopping to inquire whether or not they are worthy. That is not our business and, in fact, it is nobody’s business. What we are asked to do is to love, and this love itself will render both ourselves and our neighbors worthy.
Thomas MertonThomas Merton From the moment you put a piece of bread in your mouth you are part of the world. Who grew the wheat? Who made the bread? Where did it come from? You are in relationship with all who brought it to the table. We are least separate and most in common when we eat and drink.
Thomas MertonThomas Merton Do not be too quick to condemn the man who no longer believes in God: for it is perhaps your own coldness and avarice and mediocrity and materialism and selfishness that have chilled his faith.
Thomas MertonThomas Merton A happiness that is sought for ourselves alone can never be found: for a happiness that is diminished by being shared is not big enough to make us happy.
Thomas MertonThomas Merton For each one of us, there is only one thing necessary: to fulfill our own destiny, according to God’s will, to be what God wants us to be.
Thomas MertonThomas Merton
Original quotes
From our community writers
Sadness shoots a bullet straight at your heart and love buys you time.
Shelby CaudleShelby Caudle Do you think it possible that some people are born to give more love than they will ever get back in return?
Tyler Knott GregsonTyler Knott Gregson It’s been a long time since we said goodbye and yet the echoes of it are still ringing in our ears.
Ranata SuzukiRanata Suzuki In this wilderness, Mankind is the animal I fear.
Addison SchmittAddison Schmitt We can always walk with them in the rain instead of just lending an umbrella.
Leon MarshLeon Marsh Flowers only wither to bloom again. So shall you break, only to be whole again.
Fareena AliyaFareena Aliya What do you do when the passion burns out? Start another fire.
Jonny OxJonny Ox To love well is the task in all meaningful relationships, not just romantic bonds.
Bell HooksBell Hooks
Meet the writers
More on beginning
It all begins with forgiveness, because to heal the world, we first have to heal ourselves.
Michael JacksonMichael Jackson We all make mistakes, and it is better to make them before we begin.
Nikola TeslaNikola Tesla In this life ain’t no happy endings. Only pure beginnings followed by years of sinning and fake repentance.
J. ColeJ. Cole If I am worth anything later, I am worth something now. For wheat is wheat, even if people think it is a grass in the beginning.
Vincent Van GoghVincent Van Gogh The beginning is perhaps more difficult than anything else, but keep heart, it will turn out all right.
Vincent Van GoghVincent Van Gogh What the wise do in the beginning, fools do in the end.
Warren BuffettWarren Buffett It seems probable to me that God, in the beginning, formed matter in solid, massy, hard, impenetrable, moveable particles.
Isaac NewtonIsaac Newton We must be committed to getting back up and beginning again the exact same number of times that we fall, trip, or get pushed down.
Brene BrownBrene Brown