Following is a prayer by Thomas Merton (OSB) asking for deliverance from these 7 illusions.

Thomas Merton, Trappist Monk, 20th Century

The following prayer is from his book, “New Seeds of Contemplation.” It is widely available. For Merton, the word illusion could be substituted freely for sin. This makes sense in many ways: we often lament our past sins and say, “How could I have not seen how horrible this was?” or “What was I thinking of?” Here is a prayer from his book:

Let me use all things for one sole reason: to find my joy in giving You glory.

Therefore, keep me, above all things, from sin. Keep me from the death of deadly sin which puts hell in my soul. Keep me from the murder of lust that blinds and poisons my heart. Keep me from the sins that eat a man’s flesh with irresistible fire until he is devoured. Keep me from loving money in which is hatred, from avarice [greed] and ambition that suffocate my life. Keep me from the dead works of vanity and the thankless labor in which artists destroy themselves for pride and money and reputation, and saints are smothered under the avalanche of their own importunate zeal. Staunch in me the rank wound of covetousness and the hungers that exhaust my nature with their bleeding. Stamp out the serpent envy that stings love with poison and kills all joy.

Untie my hands and deliver my heart from sloth. Set me free from the laziness that goes about disguised as activity when activity is not required of me, and from the cowardice that does what is not demanded, in order to escape sacrifice.

But give me the strength that waits upon You in silence and peace. Give me humility in which alone is rest, and deliver me from pride which is the heaviest of burdens. And possess my whole heart and soul with the simplicity of love. Occupy my whole life with the one thought and the one desire of love, that I may love not for the sake of merit, not for the sake of perfection, not for the sake of virtue, not for the sake of sanctity, but for You alone.

Thomas Merton, 1961, Gethsemani. Imprimatur Francis Cardinal Spellman, Archbishop of New York

The Seven Deadly Sins – A List of Capital Sins
(for more visit:  http://whitestonejournal.com/index.php/seven-deadly-sins)

The table below lists The Seven Deadly Sins (vices) in the traditional order with the virtues against which they are sins. The history of this list goes back at least to Pope St. Gregory the Great and St. John Cassian, but while the list itself is not strictly biblical, the Bible proscribes all seven. If one or more of these doesn’t seem like a big sin to you, it almost certainly means you have already rationalized it. Work on that one first. By the way, there is no set list of virtues corresponding to these, what follows below reflect our choices.

If you need additional information on Dante’s views of these, it is after the table.

God loves us so much that he gives us free will.  Duly so, he will never intrude upon our own free will.   We think we are free because we have free will.  We are right… free to choose our destiny, free to choose as we please, and God loves us any way we choose.

God’s will is grand, ultimate, absolute and infinite.  Why do we resist God’s will?  We are afraid of what will happen to us.  We are afraid because we do not have the faith or the trust to completely allow God’s will to have ascendency in our lives.

My challenge to you is to give your will up to God’s will.  The gift of our own free will is the ultimate gift of faith and trust, as well as being the most powerful and humbling gift we can give.  

What happens when you invite God’s will?  Did you think you could plan things any better?  What would you worry about, that it might not turn out the way you wanted it to?  If you are still wrestling with this, you have not ever fully released your will to will God’s will.

If you have ever given your will up to God’s will you know that what happens when God’s will is moving – - it  is infinitely more potent that any plans you could make.   The movement and manifestation of his will is like a huge cosmic mosaic that moves like a fine watch – moving each piece into place so elegantly and smoothly,  that when you experience it, you are awestruck.  So there is no place for fear, only trust.  Just know that the One who created all the infinitude of the universe, is so willing to love you, and overcome your every trial – just for receiving your consent to allow His will in your world!

I challenge you to walk the walk of trust in the power of God’s will which will lay the road down before you, and move events around you so smoothly you will forget it is God’s will.  Stay in tune with God’s will simply by offering freely your will to will God’s will.

Passionately seeking and/or finding God may take one through many unexpected pathways.  Many of us have followed our hearts, curiosity or noses into these pathways – some require a good deal of learning and discipline in order to be a good student.

While studying music most of my life, I have had to exert huge discipline to learn and practice the skills needed to express myself, and find my ‘voice.  Similarly, I have studied many religions, many pathways, and have become diligent practitioners of the disciplines needed to experience the “path”.  This includes all sorts of meditation techniques, diet restrictions, spiritual practices and beliefs.  All of which one needs to experieince the benefits of said path.  Even if one goes from one path to another – it is all part of a greater path – to true self discovery.

Upon declaring my intent to go into the Lay Cistercians, I apparently surprised a few who thought it would be too “catholic” or too “rigid”.  I believe that this process of formation, while appearing to be limited, stolid, rigid, for those who seek to be “pulled along” by authoritative directives will provide a benchmark for my chosen path of spirituality.  

One of my mentors is a Trappist monk, who was surprised at my choice.  I know him to be a most iconoclastic guy, full of passion and fire about his spirituality, and yet…. he has chosen one of the strictest forms of monastic observances as his home for the past 72 yrs – joining as a young man.  Also advised by his friends that he would probably not make it since he was such a free spirit.  He is now a blazing light of inspiration and practical theology that challenges even the most fundamental beliefs.  It is clear to me that he has found freedom through form.

Jazz musicians use the theory of music and their skills acquired through much discipline (passion) to express themselves with improvisation within the form of a song by playing all around the chord changes and within the chord changes and key centers.  I believe an adroit mystic will have studied the many pathways of religion and expressions of God in many cultures to be comfortable and adroit at managing the abstracts of mysticism.  

Many mystics have done none of these things, but rather allowed their passion to know God to be their only guide.   Many have allowed this same passion to drive them through these paths.  Mine finally drove me into the Catholic faith, and further into the beautiful and compelling mysticism I found in it.  I am now finding friends who have made the journey through the decades and found themselves now in the heart of Catholic mysteries. 

I am grateful to God for the twists and turns, and for the courage to stay on this path of discovery, as it has found me now deep within the studies of ancient texts, contemplative practices and modern revelations.  In accepting this discipline I have found more contentment through my commitment than I would ever have expected, as well as refining the burn of my own flame.  I can only hope for the grace of receiving a deeper call to devotion and passionate practice of the contemplative path.  +++