July 26, 2016 – Words From Merton
Tasteless Crusts

“Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”  Luke 13:1-5

“I have watched TV twice in my life. I am frankly not terribly interested in TV anyway. Certainly I do not pretend that by simply refusing to keep up with the latest news I am therefore unaffected by what goes on, or free of it all. It is important for me to know about them too; but I refrain from trying to know them in their fresh condition as “news”. When they reach me they have become slightly stale. I eat the same tragedies as others, but in the form of tasteless crusts.” Thomas Merton (The Pocket Thomas Merton, p. 60)

The news media today is more interested in ratings than they are in giving us clear, accurate, and purposeful “news”. If a tragedy happens clear across on the other side of the world, the media can report on it almost immediately, with all of their speculations, postulations, and eventually back-tracking. People watch every image, hang on every word, hoping to get a glimpse of some gore and forming their opinions on information that may be “fresh”, but may also prove to be clearly “wrong”.

Although Merton has accomplished something I could never do, watching TV only two times in his life, still I find myself trying neither to jump to conclusions nor hang on the words of those who are reporting news “as it is happening”. Although I know that the news media would cringe at the thought of delaying the reporting of news until the “facts are secured”, perhaps we should delay our watching the news until the facts are presented rather than the “supposed facts”. Perhaps a taste for “tasteless crusts” instead of “juicy fresh news” might help us all gain a better, if not more informed opinion – and maybe level heads may actually prevail, finally.

Pastor Dave