Marcus Hong
@marchon2884.bsky.social
he/him/his | writer, reader, artist, musician, worship cultivator | Dir. of Life Long Learning at Louisville Seminary | Lover of family, poetry, comic books, film, fantasy lit, and nature | views are my own
--- Redacted poem, from the text of Thomas Merton's CONJECTURES OF A GUILTY BYSTANDER, p. 154-155
April 22, 2025 at 7:05 PM
--- Redacted poem, from the text of Thomas Merton's CONJECTURES OF A GUILTY BYSTANDER, p. 154-155
At the center of our being is
a
spark which belongs entirely to God,
inaccessible to the fantasies of our own mind or the brutalities of our own will,
blazing
in everybody, and if we could see these
billions of points of light coming together
a
spark which belongs entirely to God,
inaccessible to the fantasies of our own mind or the brutalities of our own will,
blazing
in everybody, and if we could see these
billions of points of light coming together
April 22, 2025 at 7:05 PM
At the center of our being is
a
spark which belongs entirely to God,
inaccessible to the fantasies of our own mind or the brutalities of our own will,
blazing
in everybody, and if we could see these
billions of points of light coming together
a
spark which belongs entirely to God,
inaccessible to the fantasies of our own mind or the brutalities of our own will,
blazing
in everybody, and if we could see these
billions of points of light coming together
if I suddenly saw the beauty of
the depths of
the person that each
one is in God's eyes. If only they could all see themselves
as they really ARE. If only we could see each other that way all the time. There would be no more war, no more hatred, no more cruelty, no more greed....
the depths of
the person that each
one is in God's eyes. If only they could all see themselves
as they really ARE. If only we could see each other that way all the time. There would be no more war, no more hatred, no more cruelty, no more greed....
April 22, 2025 at 7:05 PM
if I suddenly saw the beauty of
the depths of
the person that each
one is in God's eyes. If only they could all see themselves
as they really ARE. If only we could see each other that way all the time. There would be no more war, no more hatred, no more cruelty, no more greed....
the depths of
the person that each
one is in God's eyes. If only they could all see themselves
as they really ARE. If only we could see each other that way all the time. There would be no more war, no more hatred, no more cruelty, no more greed....
My solitude is not
my own, it belongs to them—I
have a responsibility for their regard
because I am one with them I owe it to them to be alone, and when i am alone they are not "they" but my own self. There are no strangers!
my own, it belongs to them—I
have a responsibility for their regard
because I am one with them I owe it to them to be alone, and when i am alone they are not "they" but my own self. There are no strangers!
April 22, 2025 at 7:05 PM
My solitude is not
my own, it belongs to them—I
have a responsibility for their regard
because I am one with them I owe it to them to be alone, and when i am alone they are not "they" but my own self. There are no strangers!
my own, it belongs to them—I
have a responsibility for their regard
because I am one with them I owe it to them to be alone, and when i am alone they are not "they" but my own self. There are no strangers!
the sense of my solitude
is to realize
with clarity
the cares
of a tightly collective existence.
is to realize
with clarity
the cares
of a tightly collective existence.
April 22, 2025 at 7:05 PM
the sense of my solitude
is to realize
with clarity
the cares
of a tightly collective existence.
is to realize
with clarity
the cares
of a tightly collective existence.
As the sorrows and stupidities of the human condition overwhelm me I realize
there is no way of telling people that they are all walking around shining like the sun.
there is no way of telling people that they are all walking around shining like the sun.
April 22, 2025 at 7:05 PM
As the sorrows and stupidities of the human condition overwhelm me I realize
there is no way of telling people that they are all walking around shining like the sun.
there is no way of telling people that they are all walking around shining like the sun.
This sense of liberation from an illusory difference was such a relief and such a joy I almost laughed out loud.
Thank
God.
It is a glorious destiny to be a member of the human race,
absurdities and all God
gloried in becoming a member of the human race.
the
cosmic
became incarnate.
Thank
God.
It is a glorious destiny to be a member of the human race,
absurdities and all God
gloried in becoming a member of the human race.
the
cosmic
became incarnate.
April 22, 2025 at 7:05 PM
This sense of liberation from an illusory difference was such a relief and such a joy I almost laughed out loud.
Thank
God.
It is a glorious destiny to be a member of the human race,
absurdities and all God
gloried in becoming a member of the human race.
the
cosmic
became incarnate.
Thank
God.
It is a glorious destiny to be a member of the human race,
absurdities and all God
gloried in becoming a member of the human race.
the
cosmic
became incarnate.
holiness
is the
vocation
of everyday existence
in the same world as everybody else,
of revolution, and rest.
we belong to God.
so does everybody else. We just happen to be
conscious of it.
is the
vocation
of everyday existence
in the same world as everybody else,
of revolution, and rest.
we belong to God.
so does everybody else. We just happen to be
conscious of it.
April 22, 2025 at 7:05 PM
holiness
is the
vocation
of everyday existence
in the same world as everybody else,
of revolution, and rest.
we belong to God.
so does everybody else. We just happen to be
conscious of it.
is the
vocation
of everyday existence
in the same world as everybody else,
of revolution, and rest.
we belong to God.
so does everybody else. We just happen to be
conscious of it.
Joining all of those so glad that you decided to cover #WheelofTime! I think it's going to be a great season, and I can't wait to watch Adam's sly "a-HA! that scene" face contrast with Jay's joyfully shocked "what is happening in this strange, strange world?!"
March 11, 2025 at 12:11 AM
Joining all of those so glad that you decided to cover #WheelofTime! I think it's going to be a great season, and I can't wait to watch Adam's sly "a-HA! that scene" face contrast with Jay's joyfully shocked "what is happening in this strange, strange world?!"
...Light from within, light that will outward shine,
Strength to make strong some weaker heart than mine,
Joy to make glad each soul that feels its touch;
Great Father of the sun, I ask this much." [4/4]
poets.org/poem/prayer-...
Strength to make strong some weaker heart than mine,
Joy to make glad each soul that feels its touch;
Great Father of the sun, I ask this much." [4/4]
poets.org/poem/prayer-...
Prayer at Sunrise
O mighty, powerful, dark-dispelling sun,
poets.org
February 25, 2025 at 4:51 PM
...Light from within, light that will outward shine,
Strength to make strong some weaker heart than mine,
Joy to make glad each soul that feels its touch;
Great Father of the sun, I ask this much." [4/4]
poets.org/poem/prayer-...
Strength to make strong some weaker heart than mine,
Joy to make glad each soul that feels its touch;
Great Father of the sun, I ask this much." [4/4]
poets.org/poem/prayer-...
"O greater Maker of this Thy great sun,
Give me the strength this one day’s race to run,
Fill me with light, fill me with sun-like strength,
Fill me with joy to rob the day its length...
[3/4]
Give me the strength this one day’s race to run,
Fill me with light, fill me with sun-like strength,
Fill me with joy to rob the day its length...
[3/4]
February 25, 2025 at 4:51 PM
"O greater Maker of this Thy great sun,
Give me the strength this one day’s race to run,
Fill me with light, fill me with sun-like strength,
Fill me with joy to rob the day its length...
[3/4]
Give me the strength this one day’s race to run,
Fill me with light, fill me with sun-like strength,
Fill me with joy to rob the day its length...
[3/4]
It articulates, with such eloquence, what I wish for each day. Just enough to run today's race; enough to shine outward and bring joy and delight to someone who is struggling; enough to make glad each person I encounter. Amen. [2/4]
February 25, 2025 at 4:51 PM
It articulates, with such eloquence, what I wish for each day. Just enough to run today's race; enough to shine outward and bring joy and delight to someone who is struggling; enough to make glad each person I encounter. Amen. [2/4]
And also...
a man in a yellow shirt and shorts is standing in front of a door
Alt: a man in a yellow shirt and shorts is standing in front of a door
media.tenor.com
February 21, 2025 at 3:43 AM
And also...
"when the theatricality, the entertainment value, the marketing of life is complete, we will find ourselves living not in a nation but in a consortium of industries, and wholly unintelligible to ourselves except for what we see as through a screen darkly..." [7/7]
January 20, 2025 at 9:15 PM
"when the theatricality, the entertainment value, the marketing of life is complete, we will find ourselves living not in a nation but in a consortium of industries, and wholly unintelligible to ourselves except for what we see as through a screen darkly..." [7/7]
"When our fears have all been serialized, our creativity censured, our ideas “marketplaced,” our rights sold, our intelligence sloganized, our strength downsized, our privacy auctioned..." [6/7]
January 20, 2025 at 9:15 PM
"When our fears have all been serialized, our creativity censured, our ideas “marketplaced,” our rights sold, our intelligence sloganized, our strength downsized, our privacy auctioned..." [6/7]
"And in effecting these changes it produces the perfect capitalist, one who is willing to kill a human being for a product (a pair of sneakers, a jacket, a car) or kill generations for control of products (oil, drugs, fruit, gold)...." [5/7]
January 20, 2025 at 9:15 PM
"And in effecting these changes it produces the perfect capitalist, one who is willing to kill a human being for a product (a pair of sneakers, a jacket, a car) or kill generations for control of products (oil, drugs, fruit, gold)...." [5/7]
"It changes parenting into panicking — so that we vote against the interests of our own children; against their health care, their education, their safety from weapons...." [4/7]
January 20, 2025 at 9:15 PM
"It changes parenting into panicking — so that we vote against the interests of our own children; against their health care, their education, their safety from weapons...." [4/7]
"It changes citizens into taxpayers — so individuals become angry at even the notion of the public good. It changes neighbors into consumers — so the measure of our value as humans is not our humanity or our compassion or our generosity but what we own...." [3/7]
January 20, 2025 at 9:15 PM
"It changes citizens into taxpayers — so individuals become angry at even the notion of the public good. It changes neighbors into consumers — so the measure of our value as humans is not our humanity or our compassion or our generosity but what we own...." [3/7]
"It is recognizable by its determination to convert all public services to private entrepreneurship; all nonprofit organizations to profit-making ones — so that the narrow but protective chasm between governance and business disappears...." [2/7]
January 20, 2025 at 9:15 PM
"It is recognizable by its determination to convert all public services to private entrepreneurship; all nonprofit organizations to profit-making ones — so that the narrow but protective chasm between governance and business disappears...." [2/7]
With Dr. King's voice ringing in my ears, I pray: O God, as we face an uncertain future and a chaotic present, may we raise our voices to sing a creative psalm of peace. Not a peace that is the absence of conflict, but a peace that is the present of justice, of wholeness, of love for all. Amen.
January 20, 2025 at 5:26 PM
With Dr. King's voice ringing in my ears, I pray: O God, as we face an uncertain future and a chaotic present, may we raise our voices to sing a creative psalm of peace. Not a peace that is the absence of conflict, but a peace that is the present of justice, of wholeness, of love for all. Amen.