Whether There Is Delight in Contemplation?
Objection 1: It would seem that there is no delight in contemplation.
For delight belongs to the appetitive power; whereas contemplation
resides chiefly in the intellect. Therefore it would seem that there
is no delight in contemplation.
Obj. 2: Further, all strife and struggle is a hindrance to delight.
Now there is strife and struggle in contemplation. For Gregory says
(Hom. xiv in Ezech.) that "when the soul strives to contemplate God,
it is in a state of struggle; at one time it almost overcomes,
because by understanding and feeling it tastes something of the
incomprehensible light, and at another time it almost succumbs,
because even while tasting, it fails." Therefore there is no delight
in contemplation.
Obj. 3: Further, delight is the result of a perfect operation, as
stated in _Ethic._ x, 4. Now the contemplation of wayfarers is
imperfect, according to 1 Cor. 13:12, "We see now through a glass in
a dark manner." Therefore seemingly there is no delight in the
contemplative life.
Obj. 4: Further, a lesion of the body is an obstacle to delight. Now
contemplation causes a lesion of the body; wherefore it is stated
(Gen. 32) that after Jacob had said (Gen. 32:30), "'I have seen God
face to face' . . . he halted on his foot (Gen. 32:31) . . . because
he touched the sinew of his thigh and it shrank" (Gen. 32:32).
Therefore seemingly there is no delight in contemplation.
_On the contrary,_ It is written of the contemplation of wisdom (Wis.
8:16): "Her conversation hath no bitterness, nor her company any
tediousness, but joy and gladness": and Gregory says (Hom. xiv in
Ezech.) that "the contemplative life is sweetness exceedingly
lovable."
_I answer that,_ There may be delight in any particular contemplation
in two ways. First by reason of the operation itself [*Cf. I-II, Q.
3, A. 5], because each individual delights in the operation which
befits him according to his own nature or habit. Now contemplation of
the truth befits a man according to his nature as a rational animal:
the result being that "all men naturally desire to know," so that
consequently they delight in the knowledge of truth. And more
delightful still does this become to one who has the habit of wisdom
and knowledge, the result of which is that he contemplates without
difficulty. Secondly, contemplation may be delightful on the part of
its object, in so far as one contemplates that which one loves; even
as bodily vision gives pleasure, not only because to see is
pleasurable in itself, but because one sees a person whom one loves.
Since, then, the contemplative life consists chiefly in the
contemplation of God, of which charity is the motive, as stated above
(AA. 1, 2, ad 1), it follows that there is delight in the
contemplative life, not only by reason of the contemplation itself,
but also by reason of the Divine love.
In both respects the delight thereof surpasses all human delight,
both because spiritual delight is greater than carnal pleasure, as
stated above (I-II, Q. 31, A. 5), when we were treating of the
passions, and because the love whereby God is loved out of charity
surpasses all love. Hence it is written (Ps. 33:9): "O taste and see
that the Lord is sweet."
Reply Obj. 1: Although the contemplative life consists chiefly in an
act of the intellect, it has its beginning in the appetite, since it
is through charity that one is urged to the contemplation of God. And
since the end corresponds to the beginning, it follows that the term
also and the end of the contemplative life has its being in the
appetite, since one delights in seeing the object loved, and the very
delight in the object seen arouses a yet greater love. Wherefore
Gregory says (Hom. xiv in Ezech.) that "when we see one whom we love,
we are so aflame as to love him more." And this is the ultimate
perfection of the contemplative life, namely that the Divine truth be
not only seen but also loved.
Reply Obj. 2: Strife or struggle arising from the opposition of an
external thing, hinders delight in that thing. For a man delights not
in a thing against which he strives: but in that for which he
strives; when he has obtained it, other things being equal, he
delights yet more: wherefore Augustine says (Confess. viii, 3) that
"the more peril there was in the battle, the greater the joy in the
triumph." But there is no strife or struggle in contemplation on the
part of the truth which we contemplate, though there is on the part
of our defective understanding and our corruptible body which drags
us down to lower things, according to Wis. 9:15, "The corruptible
body is a load upon the soul, and the earthly habitation presseth
down the mind that museth upon many things." Hence it is that when
man attains to the contemplation of truth, he loves it yet more,
while he hates the more his own deficiency and the weight of his
corruptible body, so as to say with the Apostle (Rom. 7:24): "Unhappy
man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?"
Wherefore Gregory say (Hom. xiv in Ezech.): "When God is once known
by desire and understanding, He withers all carnal pleasure in us."
Reply Obj. 3: The contemplation of God in this life is imperfect in
comparison with the contemplation in heaven; and in like manner the
delight of the wayfarer's contemplation is imperfect as compared with
the delight of contemplation in heaven, of which it is written (Ps.
35:9): "Thou shalt make them drink of the torrent of Thy pleasure."
Yet, though the contemplation of Divine things which is to be had by
wayfarers is imperfect, it is more delightful than all other
contemplation however perfect, on account of the excellence of that
which is contemplated. Hence the Philosopher says (De Part. Animal.
i, 5): "We may happen to have our own little theories about those
sublime beings and godlike substances, and though we grasp them but
feebly, nevertheless so elevating is the knowledge that they give us
more delight than any of those things that are round about us": and
Gregory says in the same sense (Hom. xiv in Ezech.): "The
contemplative life is sweetness exceedingly lovable; for it carries
the soul away above itself, it opens heaven and discovers the
spiritual world to the eyes of the mind."
Reply Obj. 4: After contemplation Jacob halted with one foot,
"because we need to grow weak in the love of the world ere we wax
strong in the love of God," as Gregory says (Hom. xiv in Ezech.).
"Thus when we have known the sweetness of God, we have one foot sound
while the other halts; since every one who halts on one foot leans
only on that foot which is sound."
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