A Traveller’s Prayer

A few years ago, for my birthday, a good friend gave me a copy of “The Seven Story Mountain” which is the autobiography of Thomas Merton.

I have to admit that I didn’t really enjoy it as much as everyone else seemed to think that I should. I found it rather dry and I couldn’t relate much to either his spirituality or personality.

However, I recently started reading a little bit more of Merton and I’ve begun to find that we’re not as incompatible as I once thought…

“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 the desire to please You does in fact please You. And I hope 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 I will 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”