[[Dear Sister Laurel, have you ever heard the idea that Thomas Merton was "plucked out of life" by electrocution, because he was interested in non-Christian religions, or because he had an affair? Does this make sense to you? I have heard from a number of people that Merton was not the real deal, but you seem to believe he was a real hermit and monk despite his affair or the limited time he lived as a hermit. Do you still believe that?]]
Wow, now that first question is one I had never expected to hear! Merton's death was a tragic accident. I don't believe he was murdered (as some have opined), nor that God "plucked him" out of this life, particularly for any sinfulness, faults, or failures he may have been responsible for. God's relationship with death is much different from what this notion provides for, and the way God deals with sin is also radically different. Remember that in 1 Corinthians 15, death is described as the final enemy to be put under God's feet. In other words, death is not the will of God, nor a tool that he wields, or even a punishment he doles out, but a consequential power or principality turned loose in our world through human sin. Likewise, it is a power or principality which the God of life and love seeks to overcome and, eventually, destroy through his Son. to summarize this position, death intervenes in human life, and the God who is the source of Jesus' resurrection and ascension, intervenes in death to bring life, hope, and a new creation out of it.
I have written a brief defense of Thomas Merton years ago (cf
Thomas Merton, a Brief Defense). I have not changed my mind on this. I understand his work and his monastic and eremitical life to be the "real deal," even though I also recognize that Merton was significantly flawed in some ways. His intellect was significant, and his later interests in contemplative life spanned different religious traditions -- something contemplatives and monastics today also tend to embrace and contribute to in interreligious dialogues on contemplative life. The Camaldolese with whom I am associated as an Oblate participate in such an ongoing dialogue with other contemplatives from Eastern traditions; it does not detract from the Christ-centered nature of their lives.
Although Thomas Merton only lived as a hermit for a few years, his exposure to solitude within the Cistercian monastic context was significant in preparing him for the greater silence and solitude of eremitical life. Moreover, Merton's hunger for these things was present throughout most of his monastic life and various Abbots made accommodations to allow Merton to get more solitude than the usual Trappist schedule allowed for. He writes about the inner journey hermits make with real insight and wisdom. I believe much of this was rooted in his own experience, both of his hunger for eremitical life on the "negative" side of things (as in a photographic negative) and, on the more "positive" side of things (again, in a photographic sense), because of his experience of living as a hermit when he was finally able to do that.
Thomas Merton's affair was a serious mistake. His attempts to justify it were sophomoric, selfish, and badly reasoned. Even so, I believe he was generally faithful to his vocation and that he was able to get back on track after the affair ended. Thomas Merton lived his adult life and died as a Trappist monk and hermit, nothing less and nothing other. Again, it was a tragic accident that cut his life short when it did. Just for my own curiosity's sake, where did you get the idea that God "plucked Merton out" of this world in punishment for his sin and faults? I started a book a few years ago contending Merton's death was orchestrated, but as noted above, I never heard this notion!! Even as a misunderstanding of the nature of the relationship between God and death, it doesn't sound particularly Catholic to me. Let me know if you can.
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