Thomas Keating
Thomas Keating: A Life of Spiritual Guidance and Contemplation
Full Name and Common Aliases
Thomas Keating was born on February 7, 1915, as Thomas William Francis Keating Jr. He is commonly known as Father Thomas Keating.
Birth and Death Dates
February 7, 1915 - October 25, 2018
Nationality and Profession(s)
American; Trappist monk, spiritual writer, and retreat master
Early Life and Background
Thomas Keating was born in New York City to a wealthy family. His father was a successful businessman, and his mother came from a prominent Catholic family. Thomas's early life was marked by privilege and comfort, but it also brought him a sense of disconnection from the world around him. As he grew older, he began to feel drawn to a more contemplative and spiritual way of living.
Early Life in Monastic Life
At the age of 20, Keating joined the Trappist order at Our Lady of the Resurrection Abbey in Spencer, Massachusetts. He spent seven years studying and working as a monk before being sent to Kentucky for further training. In 1944, he took his vows as a Cistercian monk and began his lifelong journey of spiritual growth.
Major Accomplishments
Thomas Keating's life was marked by numerous accomplishments and contributions to the world of spirituality:
Spiritual Guidance: He spent over 40 years leading retreats at St. Joseph's Abbey in Spencer, Massachusetts.
Author: Keating wrote several books on spiritual growth, including "Open Mind, Open Heart" and "Invitation to Love."
Founding Member of Contemplative Outreach: In 1984, he co-founded Contemplative Outreach with Mary Jo Godfrey, which aimed to spread the message of contemplative prayer.Notable Works or Actions
Some notable works by Thomas Keating include:
"The Living Infinite": A spiritual guide for those seeking a deeper connection with God.
"Intimacy with God": An exploration of the nature of God and our relationship with Him.
"Prayer to Stop the Killing": A powerful prayer against violence and for peace.
Impact and Legacy
Thomas Keating's impact on spirituality is immeasurable:
Influence on Christianity: His teachings have shaped the way many Christians approach contemplative prayer and spiritual growth.
Interfaith Dialogue: He worked closely with leaders from other faiths, promoting understanding and respect among different spiritual traditions.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Thomas Keating is widely quoted and remembered for his profound insights into the nature of spirituality. His emphasis on contemplative prayer, loving-kindness meditation, and compassion has inspired countless individuals to deepen their relationship with God and themselves.
Quotes by Thomas Keating
To live in the presence of God on a continuous basis can become a kind of fourth dimension to our three-dimensional world, forming an invisible but real background to everything that we do or that happens in our lives.
The great treasure that interreligious dialogue among the world religions could unlock is to enable people to get to know and love other religions and the people who practice them. The.
Gifts of the Holy Spirit grow in direct proportion to the depth and sincerity of our love.
Your relationship with God, others, yourself, and all creation keeps changing for the better. Most of the world’s religions have developed maps to describe this process.
Technology isn’t fulfilling its promise of unlimited progress and solving every problem through technology. With the Enlightenment and its aftermath, there already was a general loss of confidence in the Western religions.
Science and technology has tried to offer an alternative to religion by making a god out of human reason, but that didn’t work out too well.
Where am I? Where am I in relation to God, to myself, and to others? These are the basic questions of human life.
As the years go by, I find myself experiencing God’s extraordinary concern, consideration, healing, and what I call in my books, the divine therapy.
Contemplative prayer is a deepening of faith that moves beyond thoughts and concepts. One just listens to God, open and receptive to the divine presence in one’s inmost being as its source. One listens not with a view to hearing something, but with a view to becoming aware of the obstacles to one’s friendship with God.
What I really wanted was to fall in love with God. It’s amazing what obstacles there are within us, or at least in me, that seem to slow this process.