On Prayer and The Contemplative Life Part 29

1. "The lot which falls to the better people seems to be the more honourable and better," as the Philosopher says.[447] But the active life is the lot of those who are in the higher position--of prelates, for instance, who are placed in honourable and powerful positions; thus S. Augustine says[448]: "In the life of action we must not love the honour which belongs to this life, nor its power." Whence it would seem that the active life is preferable to the contemplative.

But it is not the active life only which belongs to prelates, they must needs excel in the contemplative life; whence S.

Gregory says in his _Pastoral Rule_[449]: "Let the superior be foremost in action, but before all let him be uplifted in contemplation."

2. Again, in all acts and habits the control belongs to the more important: the soldier, for instance--as being higher placed--directs the saddle-maker. But it is the active life which directs and controls the contemplative, as is clear from the words addressed to Moses: _Go down and charge the people, lest they should have a mind to pa.s.s the limits to see the Lord._[450] The active life is therefore more important than the contemplative.

But the contemplative life consists in a certain liberty of spirit; for S. Gregory says[451]: "The contemplative life means pa.s.sing over to a certain liberty of spirit since in it a man thinks not of temporal but of eternal things." Similarly Boethius says[452]: "The human soul must needs be free when occupied with the thought of the Divine Mind; not so when distracted with the things of the body." From all this it is clear that the active life does not directly guide the contemplative, but by preparing the way for it it does direct certain works pertaining to the contemplative life, and in this sense the active life is rather the servant than the master of the contemplative. And this S. Gregory expresses when he says: "The active life is termed a service, the contemplative life freedom."[453]

3. Lastly, no one should be withdrawn from what is greater in order to apply himself to what is less; thus the Apostle says: _Be zealous for the better gifts._[454] But some are withdrawn from the contemplative state of life and are made to busy themselves with the affairs of the active life; this is the case, for instance, with those who are placed in positions of authority. Whence it seems that the active life is of more importance than the contemplative.

But though a man may happen to be called away from contemplation to the works of the active life owing to the needs of the present life, yet he is not thereby compelled completely to relinquish his contemplation. Hence S. Augustine says:[455] "The love of truth asks for a holy leisure; the demands of charity undertake honest toil--that, namely, of the active life. And if no one imposes this latter burden on us, then we must devote ourselves to the study and contemplation of the truth; if, however, such a burden is imposed upon us, then must we undertake it because of the demands of charity. Yet not even then are we altogether to resign the joys flowing from the contemplation of truth, lest the sweetness of such contemplation be withdrawn from us and the burden we have a.s.sumed crush us."

Whence it appears that when a man is called from the contemplative to the active life it is not so much that something is withdrawn from him, but that an additional burden is imposed upon him.

"As we have heard, so have we seen, in the city of the Lord of Hosts, in the city of our G.o.d: G.o.d hath founded it for ever. We have received Thy mercy, O G.o.d, in the midst of Thy temple. For this is G.o.d, our G.o.d unto eternity, and for ever and ever: He shall rule us for evermore."[456]

_Cajetan:_ Those whose duty it is to instruct others in spiritual progress should note that they are bound to take great pains to exercise them in the active life before they urge them to ascend the heights of contemplation. For they must learn to subdue their pa.s.sions by acquiring habits of meekness, patience, generosity, humility, and tranquillity of soul, before they ascend to the contemplative life. Through lack of this, many, not so much walking in the way of G.o.d as leaping along it, find themselves--after they have spent the greater portion of their life in contemplation--devoid of virtue, impatient, irascible, and proud, if one but so much as touch them on this point! Such people have neither the active nor the contemplative life, nor even a mixture of the two; they have built upon sand! And would that such cases were rare! (_on_ 2.

182. 1 2.).

_S. Augustine:_ Terrified by my sins and my weight of misery I was disturbed within my soul and meditated flight into solitude. But Thou didst forbid it and didst strengthen me and say: _Christ died for all, that they also who live may not now live to themselves, but unto Him Who died for them and rose again._[457] Behold, O Lord, I cast my care upon Thee so that I may live, and I will meditate on the wondrous things of Thy law. Thou knowest my lack of skill and my weakness; teach me and heal me! He--Thine Only-Begotten Son--in Whom lie hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, He redeemed me with His blood. _Let not the proud calumniate me!_ When I think of my Ransom then I eat and I drink, and I pray, and in my poverty I yearn to be filled with Him, to be among those who _eat and are filled_ and they _praise the Lord who seek Him_ (_Conf._, X., xliii. 70).

_S. Augustine: He hath hid me in His tabernacle in the day of evils._[458]

Wherefore without any arrogance have I sought for That One Thing, neither doth my soul reproach me, saying: Why do you seek after It? From whom do you seek It? Do you, a sinner, wickedly dare to ask something of G.o.d? Do you, weak man, of unclean heart, dare to hope that you will one day attain to the contemplation of G.o.d? I dare! Not indeed of myself, but because of His pleasure in me; not out of presumptuous trust in myself, but from confidence in His promise. For will He Who gave such a pledge to the pilgrim desert him when he comes to Him? _For He hath hid me in His tabernacle in the day of evils_ (_Enarr. in Ps._ xxvi.).

II

Is the Active Life more Meritorious than the Contemplative?

S. Gregory says[459]: "Great are the merits of the active life, but they are surpa.s.sed by those of the contemplative life."

The source of merit is charity. Charity, however, consists in the love of G.o.d and of our neighbour; and to love G.o.d is, in itself, more meritorious than to love our neighbour. Consequently that which more directly pertains to the love of G.o.d is more meritorious in its nature than something that directly pertains to the love of our neighbour for G.o.d's sake. The contemplative life, however, directly and immediately pertains to the love of G.o.d, as S. Augustine says[460]: "The love of truth asks for a holy leisure; that is the contemplative life," and this truth is the Divine Truth on Which the contemplative life is centred.

The active life, on the other hand, is more immediately concerned with the love of our neighbour, it is _busy about much serving_.[461] Hence of its very nature the contemplative life is more meritorious than the active, as is well expressed by S. Gregory[462] when he says: "The contemplative life is more meritorious than the active, for the latter toils in the wear and tear of present work by which it must needs help its neighbour; whereas the former, by a certain inward savour, already has a foretaste of the repose to come"--that is, in the contemplation of G.o.d.

It may, however, chance that one man derives greater merit from the works of the active life than another does from his contemplative life; as, for example, when, from the superabundance of the Divine love, in order to fulfil G.o.d's will, and for His greater glory, a man is content to be separated for a s.p.a.ce from the sweetness of Divine contemplation, as the Apostle says: _I wished myself to be an anathema from Christ for my brethren._[463] On these words S. Chrysostom[464] comments thus: "The love of Christ had so completely taken possession of his heart that he could even despise that which he desired beyond all things--namely, to be with Christ--and that because it was pleasing to Christ."

Yet some maintain that the active life is more meritorious than the contemplative, thus:

1. A thing is said to be meritorious because of the reward. But reward is due to work, as S. Paul says: _And every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour._[465] Labour, however, belongs to the active life, repose to the contemplative, as S. Gregory says[466]: "Everyone who is converted to G.o.d must needs first labour in toil; he must take Lia--that is, that so he may arrive at 'the vision of the Beginning'--that is, the embraces of Rachel." Whence it seems as though the active life was more meritorious than the contemplative.

But while external toil makes for an increase of accidental reward, the increase of merit as regards essential reward consists mainly in charity, one proof of which is external toil undertaken for Christ's sake; but a much greater proof of this is given when a man puts aside all that pertains to this life and delights in giving himself up solely to Divine contemplation.

2. Again, contemplative life is in some sort the commencement of future bliss; and consequently the words of S. John: _So will I have him to remain till I come_, S. Augustine comments as follows: "This might be more fully expressed thus: May perfect actions, modelled on the example of My Pa.s.sion, follow Me; but may contemplation begun here on earth remain till I come, to be perfected when I come"[467]; and similarly S.

Gregory says[468]: "The contemplative life begins here below to be perfected in our heavenly home." But in that future life we shall not merit, but shall receive the reward of our merits. Consequently the contemplative life seems to have less of the ratio of merit than has the active life; but it has more of the ratio of reward.

But in the state of future bliss a man has arrived at his perfection and consequently there is no room left for merit; but if there were room left his merits would be more efficacious owing to the pre-eminence of his charity. The contemplation of this present life, however, has some accompanying imperfection, and consequently there is room for improvement; hence such contemplation does not destroy the idea of meriting but makes increase of merit in proportion as Divine charity is more and more exercised.

3. Lastly, S. Gregory says[469]: "No sacrifice is more acceptable to G.o.d than zeal for souls." But zeal for souls means that a man gives himself up to the works of the active life. Whence it seems that the contemplative life is not more meritorious than the active.

But a sacrifice is spiritually offered to G.o.d when anything is presented to Him; and of all man's good things G.o.d specially accepts that of the human soul when offered to Him in sacrifice.

But a man ought to offer to G.o.d first of all his own soul, according to the words of Ecclesiasticus[470]: _Have pity on thine own soul, pleasing G.o.d_; secondly, the souls of others, according to the words: _And he that heareth let him say: Come._[471] But the more closely a man knits his own soul, or his neighbour's soul, to G.o.d, the more acceptable to G.o.d is his sacrifice; consequently it is more pleasing to G.o.d that a man should give his soul, and the souls of others, to contemplation than to action. When, then, S. Gregory says: "No sacrifice is more acceptable to G.o.d than zeal for souls," he does not mean that the merit of the active life is greater than that of the contemplative, but that it is more meritorious that a man should offer to G.o.d his own soul and the soul of others than that he should offer any other external gift whatsoever.

"But thou, our G.o.d, art gracious and true, patient, and ordering all things in mercy. For if we sin, we are Thine, knowing Thy greatness: and if we sin not, we know that we are counted with Thee. For to know Thee is perfect justice: and to know Thy justice, and Thy power, is the root of immortality."[472]

III

Is the Active Life a Hindrance to the Contemplative Life?

S. Gregory says[473]: "They who would hold the citadel of contemplation must first needs exercise themselves on the battle-field of toil."

We may consider the active life from two points of view. For we may first of all consider the actual occupation with, and practice of, external works; and from this point of view it is clear that the active life is a hindrance to the contemplative, for it is impossible for a man to be simultaneously occupied with external works, and yet at leisure for Divine contemplation.

But we may also consider the active life from the standpoint of the harmony and order which it introduces into the interior pa.s.sions of the soul; and from this point of view the active life is an a.s.sistance to contemplation since this latter is hindered by the disturbance arising from the pa.s.sions. Thus S. Gregory says[474]: "They who would hold the citadel of contemplation must first needs exercise themselves on the battle-field of toil; they must learn, forsooth, whether they still do harm to their neighbours, whether they bear with equanimity the harm their neighbours may do them; whether, when temporal good things are set before them, their minds are overwhelmed with joy; whether when such things are withdrawn they are over much grieved. And lastly, they must ask themselves whether, when they withdraw within upon themselves and search into the things of the spirit, they do not carry with them the shadows of things corporeal, or whether, if perchance they have touched upon them, they discreetly repel them."

Thus, then, the exercises of the active life are conducive to contemplation, for they still those interior pa.s.sions whence arise those imaginations which serve as a hindrance to contemplation.

Some, however, maintain that the active life is a hindrance to the contemplative, thus:

1. A certain stillness of mind is needful for contemplation, as the Psalmist says: _Be still and see that I am G.o.d._[475] But the active life implies anxiety: _Martha, Martha, thou art careful, and art troubled about many things._[476]

2. Again, a certain clearness of vision is called for in the contemplative life. But the active life hinders this clearness of vision, for S. Gregory says[477]: "Lia was blear-eyed and fruitful, for the active life, since occupied with toil, sees less clearly."

3. And lastly, things that are contrary hinder one another. But the active and the contemplative life are contrary to one another; for the active life is occupied with many things, whereas the contemplative life dwells upon one object of contemplation; they are, then, in opposite camps.

But all these arguments insist upon the occupation with external affairs which is but one feature in the active life, not upon its other feature--namely, its power to repress the pa.s.sions.

_Cajetan: But the five foolish virgins, having taken their lamps, did not take oil with them. But the wise took oil in their vessels with the lamps._[478]

By this oil is signified testimony to a man's goodness or love of G.o.d.

For there is this difference between people who perform good works, that the only testimony which some men have to their goodness is without--namely, in the works themselves; within, however, they do not feel that they love G.o.d with their whole heart, that they repent of their sins because they are hateful to G.o.d, or that they love their neighbour for G.o.d's sake. But there are others who so perform good works that both their works that s.h.i.+ne before men bear witness without to the good soul within, and also within their own conscience the Holy Spirit Himself testifies to their spirit that they are the sons of G.o.d; for such men feel that they love G.o.d with their whole heart, that they repent of their sins for G.o.d's sake, and that they love their neighbour and themselves for G.o.d's sake: in brief, they feel that G.o.d is the sole reason why they love, why they hope, fear, rejoice, or are sad: in a word, why they work both within and without: this is to have oil in one's own vessels (_On S. Matt._ xxv. 3, 4).

_S. Augustine:_ See the life that Mary chose! Yet was she but a type of that life, she as yet possessed it not. For there are two kinds of life: one means delight; the other means a burden. And the burdensome one is toilsome, while the delightsome one is pleasurable. But enter thou within; seek not that delight without, lest ye swell with it and find yourself unable to enter by the narrow gate! See how Mary saw the Lord in the Flesh and heard the Lord by the voice of the Flesh--as ye have heard when the Epistle to the Hebrews has been read--as it were through a veil. (_A new and living way which He hath dedicated to us through the veil, that is to say, His Flesh_.[479]) But when we shall see Him face to Face there will be no "veil." Mary, then, sat--that is, she rested from toil--and she listened and she praised; but Martha was anxious about much serving. And the Lord said to her: _Martha, Martha, thou art careful and art troubled about many things; but one thing is necessary[480]_ (_Sermon_, CCLVI., v. 6).

"Bless the Lord, O my soul: and let all that is within me bless His holy Name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and never forget all He hath done for thee. Who forgiveth all thy iniquities: Who healeth all thy diseases. Who redeemeth thy life from destruction: Who crowneth thee with mercy and compa.s.sion. Who satisfieth thy desire with good things: thy youth shall be renewed like the eagle's. The Lord doth mercies, and judgment for all that suffer wrong. He hath made His ways known to Moses: His wills to the children of Israel. The Lord is compa.s.sionate and merciful: long suffering and plenteous in mercy. He will not always be angry: nor will He threaten for ever. He hath not dealt with us according to our sins: nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For according to the height of the Heaven above the earth: He hath strengthened His mercy towards them that fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our iniquities from us. As a father hath compa.s.sion on his children, so hath the Lord compa.s.sion on them that fear Him: for He knoweth our frame. He remembereth that we are dust: man's days are as gra.s.s, as the flower of the field so shall he flourish."[481]

IV

Does the Active Life precede the Contemplative?