Whether Contemplation or Meditation Is the Cause of Devotion?
Objection 1: It would seem that contemplation or meditation is not
the cause of devotion. No cause hinders its effect. But subtle
considerations about abstract matters are often a hindrance to
devotion. Therefore contemplation or meditation is not the cause of
devotion.
Obj. 2: Further, if contemplation were the proper and essential cause
of devotion, the higher objects of contemplation would arouse greater
devotion. But the contrary is the case: since frequently we are urged
to greater devotion by considering Christ's Passion and other
mysteries of His humanity than by considering the greatness of His
Godhead. Therefore contemplation is not the proper cause of devotion.
Obj. 3: Further, if contemplation were the proper cause of devotion,
it would follow that those who are most apt for contemplation, are
also most apt for devotion. Yet the contrary is to be noticed, for
devotion is frequently found in men of simplicity and members of the
female sex, who are defective in contemplation. Therefore
contemplation is not the proper cause of devotion.
_On the contrary,_ It is written (Ps. 38:4): "In my meditation a fire
shall flame out." But spiritual fire causes devotion. Therefore
meditation is the cause of devotion.
_I answer that,_ The extrinsic and chief cause of devotion is God, of
Whom Ambrose, commenting on Luke 9:55, says that "God calls whom He
deigns to call, and whom He wills He makes religious: the profane
Samaritans, had He so willed, He would have made devout." But the
intrinsic cause on our part must needs be meditation or
contemplation. For it was stated above (A. 1) that devotion is an act
of the will to the effect that man surrenders himself readily to the
service of God. Now every act of the will proceeds from some
consideration, since the object of the will is a good understood.
Wherefore Augustine says (De Trin. ix, 12; xv, 23) that "the will
arises from the intelligence." Consequently meditation must needs be
the cause of devotion, in so far as through meditation man conceives
the thought of surrendering himself to God's service. Indeed a
twofold consideration leads him thereto. The one is the consideration
of God's goodness and loving kindness, according to Ps. 72:28, "It is
good for me to adhere to my God, to put my hope in the Lord God": and
this consideration wakens love [*_Dilectio,_ the interior act of
charity; cf. Q. 27] which is the proximate cause of devotion. The
other consideration is that of man's own shortcomings, on account of
which he needs to lean on God, according to Ps. 120:1, 2, "I have
lifted up my eyes to the mountains, from whence help shall come to
me: my help is from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth"; and this
consideration shuts out presumption whereby man is hindered from
submitting to God, because he leans on His strength.
Reply Obj. 1: The consideration of such things as are of a nature to
awaken our love [*Ibid.] of God, causes devotion; whereas the
consideration of foreign matters that distract the mind from such
things is a hindrance to devotion.
Reply Obj. 2: Matters concerning the Godhead are, in themselves, the
strongest incentive to love [*Ibid.] and consequently to devotion,
because God is supremely lovable. Yet such is the weakness of the
human mind that it needs a guiding hand, not only to the knowledge,
but also to the love of Divine things by means of certain sensible
objects known to us. Chief among these is the humanity of Christ,
according to the words of the Preface [*Preface for Christmastide],
"that through knowing God visibly, we may be caught up to the love of
things invisible." Wherefore matters relating to Christ's humanity
are the chief incentive to devotion, leading us thither as a guiding
hand, although devotion itself has for its object matters concerning
the Godhead.
Reply Obj. 3: Science and anything else conducive to greatness, is to
man an occasion of self-confidence, so that he does not wholly
surrender himself to God. The result is that such like things
sometimes occasion a hindrance to devotion; while in simple souls and
women devotion abounds by repressing pride. If, however, a man
perfectly submits to God his science or any other perfection, by this
very fact his devotion is increased.
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