Cat Spirituality

When James Finley was a young monk at the monastery of Gethsemane, he shared with Thomas Merton (who was his spiritual director) his frustration at his seemingly inept efforts to experience God’s presence. Merton responded: “How does an apple ripen? It just sits in the sun.” Not that we don’t need to continue to seek God, but by our own efforts alone we cannot achieve spiritual maturity. We must bring ourselves to the Light where God’s grace seasons us into juicy, sweet, flavorful ripeness.

                                                                                                                                Richard Rohr

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Tess the cat

wanders nonchalantly into my study

casually ignoring me as she circles

the leaps

landing lightly on my desk

with a gentle bump of her head

she makes her presence known

and then

like all good cats finds the mouse

silently she sits

then settles

leaning against my hand

and we are connected

she is my Spiritual Director