“Do not desire chiefly to be cherished and consoled by God; desire above all to love Him.Do not anxiously desire to have others find consolation in God, but rather help them to love God.Do not seek consolation in talking about God, but speak of Him in order that He may be glorified.If you truly love Him, nothing can console you but His glory. And if you seek His glory before everything else, then you will also be humble enough to receive consolation from His hand: accepting it chiefly because, in showing His mercy to us, He is glorified in our souls.”

American Trappist monk, Catholic priest, theologian, mystic, poet, and writer

Thomas Merton was an American Trappist monk, Catholic priest, theologian, mystic, poet, and writer. He was a professed member of the Abbey of Our Lady of Gethsemani near Bardstown, Kentucky, and lived there from 1941 until his death. He is best known for his religious writing and for work that reflects his life as a monk, priest, and theologian. His poems and books grow out of contemplation, faith, and the discipline of monastic life, and his reputation rests on the range of roles he held within the Catholic tradition.