PostScript on Thomas Merton

After completing the post on Thomas Merton, I picked up the book I am currently reading, The Genesee Diary by Henri J.M. Nouwen, and after reading a few entries, the next one was on Thomas Merton!  Consequence?  Not sure, so I'm adding these statements of Nouwen from that entry.

"The influence of Thomas Merton seems to have grown ever since he died in December 1968.  Many people are writing masters' theses on him as well as doctoral dissertations.  Books and articles on Merton keep appearing. Monks say that you cannot understand Merton when you do not see him primarily as a contemplative ... during his last days in Asia, Merton wrote in the most unambiguous terms that he was and always would remain a Christian monk. Merton articulated skillfully and artfully the different stages of his own thoughts and experiences and moved on to the new discoveries without worrying about what people made of his old ones Now he is dead. He can no longer answer the question, "What did you really mean?"  His death has made him an even stronger catalyst than he was during his life. He indeed made his own life available to others to help them find their own--and not his--way. In this sense, he was and still is a true minister, creating the free space where others can enter and discover God's voice in their lives."