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PROJECTITIS

12/18/2013

1 Comment

 
Picture
"To allow oneself to be carried away 
by a multitude of conflicting concerns, 
to surrender to too many demands, 
to commit oneself to too many projects, 
to want to help everyone in everything, 
is to succumb to the violence of our times."

A provocative quotation!  The description seems to fit so well the constant plaint of so many people I know, and me, also. The kicker is how the author calls it a form of violence.
I purposely left off the writer's name so that some readers of this blog who are rightly or wrongly wary of him could just think about the message. 
I think that this famous 20th century US monk was trying to shock us into wanting the peace of Christ enough to consider examining the negative side of our so activist life-style. 
When I challenge the "project-itis," as I call it, that I engage in day after day, I wonder, what would it be like if I spent a whole week, for instance, at seeming "vacation" time, not doing anything that is not obligatory and doing those things very, very slowly.  Using the "saved time" for Mass, quiet prayer, contemplation of beauty in nature and home surroundings. 
The writer is Thomas Merton, by the way. I loved his earlier writings, was upset by reports of bad turns in his late mid-life, wary of his inter-faith concepts, and not sure about aspects of the peace movement he became a part of.  Just the same, I was impressed by how he challenged peace movement people to look into possible peacelessness in their own hearts.
As we look at the 20th century with 21st century perspectives, I believe it is important to grab hold of all Catholic insights from the past, not dismissing them because the thinker could have been wrong about x,y, and z, if he or she was dead right about a,b, and c. 

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    Author

    Ronda Chervin received a Ph.D. in Philosophy from Fordham University and an MA in Religious Studies from Notre Dame Apostolic Institute. She is a dedicated widow, mother, and grandmother.
    Ronda converted to the Catholic Faith from a Jewish, though atheistic, background and has been a Professor of Philosophy and Theology at Loyola Marymount University, the Seminary of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, and Franciscan University of Steubenville. She is an international speaker and author of some fifty books about Catholic thought, practice and spirituality. One of her latest is LAST CALL, published by Goodbooks Media.
    Dr. Ronda is currently retired and living in Corpus Christi, Texas after her years of teaching philosophy at Holy Apostles College and Seminary in Cromwell, Connecticut.
    You can contact her via e-mail by clicking here or by emailing [email protected] directly.

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