We will now consider how the Contemplative Life goes before the second part of the Active Life, occupying, as it were, a middle position between them.
S. Bernard says,1 “We should be on our guard against giving that which we have received for ourselves, and against retaining that which we ought to give. Thus, you retain that which you should impart, if, when full of virtues and gifted with eloquence and knowledge, you, through fear, or idleness, or false humility, preserve an unpardonable silence, when by your words you might edify others ; and thus you incur the condemnation of him who withholds ‘ com from the people.’2 On the contrary, you scatter that which is your own and lose it, if, before you are filled, being still half-full of yourself, you hasten to pour it out upon others, labouring contrary to the law, with the first-born of oxen, or shearing the first-born of sheep. You rob yourself of that salvation and life which you communicate to others, when, without a pure intention — either puffed up with vainglory or actuated by some motive of earthly gain — you perform your actions. If you were wise, you would show yourself more like a shell than a mere canal The second gives out as soon as it receives, the first waits until it is full before it overflows. You, my friend, whose own salvation is but little assured, whose charity is nothing, or but frail, and yields like a reed to every breath, believes every spirit, and is shaken by every wind of doctrine; you, whose charity seems so great, that it outstrips the precept and loves neighbour more than self, and yet at the same time is so feeble, so small, that, contrary to the precept, it melts before favour, quails before fear, is troubled by sadness, is fettered by avarice, yields to suspicion, is disquieted by ambition, is angered by injurious words, is devoured by anxiety, is elated by honour, is consumed by envy, by what madness have you brought yourself to think that you ought to be occupied with the care of others ? Hear what caution advises, and watchful charity : ‘ I mean not,’ says the Apostle, ‘ that other men be eased, and ye burdened/3 but that there should be ‘equality.’ Do not ‘make thyself over wise.’ 8 It is enough for you to love your neighbour as yourself, that there may be ‘equality/ And again, ‘Fill yourself, then shall you overflow to others/ A mild and prudent charity observes a just proportion, as Solomon teaches, ‘and does not only overflow/ And the Apostle’s admonition is to the same effect. Who is more holy than Paul, or more wise than Solomon ? See how much we need, then, for our own salvation, and let us be careful to receive before we presume to give.
“But as the physician approaches the wounded, so does the Spirit approach the soul. For who has not been some time wounded by the darts of Satan ? First, then, the tumour or ulcer must be removed. It must be opened with the sharp needle of compunction if the sore of evil habit is to be healed. But the pain is sharp, and the operation must be soothed by the unction of devotion, which is nothing else but the joy which springs from the hope of pardon. i Thou,’ says the Psalmist, ‘ hast loosed my bonds. I will offer to Thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving/4 Then follow the remedies of repentance, fastings, watchings, prayers, alms, a life of good works, for good works are a nourishment of the soul. ‘ My meat,’ says our Lord, ‘ is to do the will of Him that sent Me/5 And again, by alms, ‘ thou layest up a good treasure in the sight of the Most High/6 Food excites thirst, therefore to the food of good works will be added the drink of prayer ; the two together, as it were, digested in the conscience, become well-pleasing to God. It is by praying that the wine which maketh glad the heart of man is drunk, the wine of the Spirit which elevates, produces oblivion of carnal joys, bedews the interior of the parched conscience, causes the food of good works to digest, unfolds itself throughout the powers of the soul, strengthens faith, enkindles hope, vivifies and enriches charity, and makes luxuriant the fruits of holiness. It is after food and drink, and strenuous exertion, that we can go to rest, and enjoy the refreshing calm of contemplation. Thus the soul rests in the Lord in contemplative prayer, seeing as in a glass darkly,7 and filled with desire for a Vision, by a sort of scintillation of His glory as He passes by.8 With my soul/ says the Prophet, ‘ have I desired Thee in the night ; yea, with my spirit have I sought Thee early.’ a Such is the love which, glows in the soul, and which the faithful servant should possess, whom His Lord places over His household,9 that he may possess the power of sympathy, and impart that glow to others. * Who is weak, and I am not weak ; who is offended, and I bum not ? 7 There is no room for vanity, where all is occupied by charity ; and charity, if it is perfect, is the fulfilling of the law and the satisfaction of the heart. In short, God is love, and nothing created can fill the creature who is made after the image of God, but God who is love, and < who alone is greater than it Without this love, it is dangerous to be prominent, even though possessing other virtues. * Though I have all knowledge, though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, I am nothing / 4 says S. Paul. See, then, what we ought to receive, before we presume to give out ! First, compunction ; secondly, devotion ; thirdly, the travail of penitence ; fourthly, labour of piety ; fifthly, fervour of prayer ; sixthly, the rest of contemplation ; seventhly, the fulness of charity. All these that One and Selfsame Spirit createth in us by the operation which is called infusion, up to the point where the other operation, which is called effusion, can purely and safely come into exercise to the praise and glory of our Lord Jesus Christ”
Again, the same author says, “The purpose of true and chaste contemplation is to inflame the soul with a vehement glow of Divine love, to fill it with zeal, and with an intense desire of possessing God, who loves it in return, when the rest of contemplation is freely abandoned for the claims of active duty. In such case, after devotion has been intermitted, the soul will return to it with greater sweetness and delight, and, having tasted this heavenly joy, will be less enamoured of the joys of earth. Thus the soul will check itself by the alternate emotions of fear and desire — fearing lest it should in a little matter deviate from the will of God, and desiring to fulfil it more and more, both in devotion and action. Perhaps it was something like this Job felt when he said,10 When I lie down, I say. When shall I arise, and the night be gone ? 7 1 That is, during my enjoyment of rest in God, I fear neglect of work ; during work, I fear neglect of devotion. The holy man seemed to hesitate between the fruit of active service, and the rest of contemplation ; whilst always well occupied, he nevertheless was full of compunction for faults and errors, and every moment sorrowfully inquiring after the will of God. The only remedy for this state is prayer ; it is the only refuge. By frequent ejaculations towards God we must discover from Him what we ought to do, and when and how to do it.”11
We have now some idea of the two parts of the Active Life, and how between them is the Contemplative Life, and know something of their order and mutual relation.
But of the third point, that is, the second part of the Active Life, we have no intention here to treat ; it consists in ministerial duties and labouring for souls, which form no part of our present subject. What is needed, as the preliminary of contemplation, is the zeal which is exhibited in correcting our vices, and in forming virtues, which constitutes the first part of the Active Life.
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