Those of whom God demands the most perfect hope* must look closely at their sins. This is to say that they must let God shine His lamp suddenly upon the darkest corners of their souls—not that they themselves must search out what they do not understand. Too much searching conceals the thing we really ought to find. Nor is it certain that we have any urgent obligation to find sin in ourselves. How much sin is kept hidden by God Himself, in His mercy? After which He hides it from Himself!
—Thomas Merton, from Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander
*I'm not sure, but I believe Merton was referring here to those called to monastic service. He was a Trappist monk.
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