Rainbow of Hope
c. J., Patrick Mahon, 2013

Often we experience angst—alienation, fear, and dread because of what life throws at us. Eckhart said, “God is in my suffering. God is my suffering.” God is my suffering. This is where we find God, or rather, where God finds us. Our suffering brings us face to face with our own futility and nothingness.

Recently, as I have continued to learn about prayer, I have rediscovered Karl Rahner, the influential German theologian from the 20^th century. Rahner is the person who charted the course for religion and spirituality in the 21^st century, “The Christian of the 21^st century will be a mystic or not be at all.” Rahner the mystic is still somewhat like Rahner the theologian with long sentences translated from German. He has to be read slowly because he writes with poetic metaphoric beauty about the indescribable—our union with God. Thomas Merton, by contrast, seems to have been more reluctant to write about the indescribable. Yes, he does explore prayer but the only prayer he recommends is the Jesus Prayer—the prayer of the heart. “Lord Jesus, have mercy on me a sinner.” Prayer is not to get what we want but to be what God wants. Continue reading →