Whether the Active Life Is More Excellent Than the Contemplative?
Objection 1: It would seem that the active life is more excellent
than the contemplative. For "that which belongs to better men would
seem to be worthier and better," as the Philosopher says (Top. iii,
1). Now the active life belongs to persons of higher rank, namely
prelates, who are placed in a position of honor and power; wherefore
Augustine says (De Civ. Dei xix, 19) that "in our actions we must not
love honor or power in this life." Therefore it would seem that the
active life is more excellent than the contemplative.
Obj. 2: Further, in all habits and acts, direction belongs to the
more important; thus the military art, being the more important,
directs the art of the bridle-maker [*Ethic. i, 1]. Now it belongs to
the active life to direct and command the contemplative, as appears
from the words addressed to Moses (Ex. 19:21), "Go down and charge
the people, lest they should have a mind to pass the" fixed "limits
to see the Lord." Therefore the active life is more excellent than
the contemplative.
Obj. 3: Further, no man should be taken away from a greater thing in
order to be occupied with lesser things: for the Apostle says (1 Cor.
12:31): "Be zealous for the better gifts." Now some are taken away
from the state of the contemplative life to the occupations of the
active life, as in the case of those who are transferred to the state
of prelacy. Therefore it would seem that the active life is more
excellent than the contemplative.
_On the contrary,_ Our Lord said (Luke 10:42): "Mary hath chosen the
best part, which shall not be taken away from her." Now Mary figures
the contemplative life. Therefore the contemplative life is more
excellent than the active.
_I answer that,_ Nothing prevents certain things being more excellent
in themselves, whereas they are surpassed by another in some respect.
Accordingly we must reply that the contemplative life is simply more
excellent than the active: and the Philosopher proves this by eight
reasons (Ethic. x, 7, 8). The first is, because the contemplative
life becomes man according to that which is best in him, namely the
intellect, and according to its proper objects, namely things
intelligible; whereas the active life is occupied with externals.
Hence Rachael, by whom the contemplative life is signified, is
interpreted "the vision of the principle," [*Or rather, 'One seeing
the principle,' if derived from _rah_ and _irzn_; Cf. Jerome, De Nom.
Hebr.] whereas as Gregory says (Moral. vi, 37) the active life is
signified by Lia who was blear-eyed. The second reason is because the
contemplative life can be more continuous, although not as regards
the highest degree of contemplation, as stated above (Q. 180, A. 8,
ad 2; Q. 181, A. 4, ad 3), wherefore Mary, by whom the contemplative
life is signified, is described as "sitting" all the time "at the
Lord's feet." Thirdly, because the contemplative life is more
delightful than the active; wherefore Augustine says (De Verb. Dom.
Serm. ciii) that "Martha was troubled, but Mary feasted." Fourthly,
because in the contemplative life man is more self-sufficient, since
he needs fewer things for that purpose; wherefore it was said (Luke
10:41): "Martha, Martha, thou art careful and art troubled about many
things." Fifthly, because the contemplative life is loved more for
its own sake, while the active life is directed to something else.
Hence it is written (Ps. 36:4): "One thing I have asked of the Lord,
this will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all
the days of my life, that I may see the delight of the Lord."
Sixthly, because the contemplative life consists in leisure and rest,
according to Ps. 45:11, "Be still and see that I am God." Seventhly,
because the contemplative life is according to Divine things, whereas
active life is according to human things; wherefore Augustine says
(De Verb. Dom. Serm. civ): "'In the beginning was the Word': to Him
was Mary hearkening: 'The Word was made flesh': Him was Martha
serving." Eighthly, because the contemplative life is according to
that which is most proper to man, namely his intellect; whereas in
the works of the active life the lower powers also, which are common
to us and brutes, have their part; wherefore (Ps. 35:7) after the
words, "Men and beasts Thou wilt preserve, O Lord," that which is
special to man is added (Ps. 35:10): "In Thy light we shall see
light."
Our Lord adds a ninth reason (Luke 10:42) when He says: "Mary hath
chosen the best part, which shall not be taken away from her," which
words Augustine (De Verb. Dom. Serm. ciii) expounds thus: "Not--Thou
hast chosen badly but--She has chosen better. Why better?
Listen--because it shall not be taken away from her. But the burden
of necessity shall at length be taken from thee: whereas the
sweetness of truth is eternal."
Yet in a restricted sense and in a particular case one should prefer
the active life on account of the needs of the present life. Thus too
the Philosopher says (Topic. iii, 2): "It is better to be wise than
to be rich, yet for one who is in need, it is better to be rich . . ."
Reply Obj. 1: Not only the active life concerns prelates, they should
also excel in the contemplative life; hence Gregory says (Pastor. ii,
1): "A prelate should be foremost in action, more uplifted than
others in contemplation."
Reply Obj. 2: The contemplative life consists in a certain liberty of
mind. For Gregory says (Hom. iii in Ezech.) that "the contemplative
life obtains a certain freedom of mind, for it thinks not of temporal
but of eternal things." And Boethius says (De Consol. v, 2): "The
soul of man must needs be more free while it continues to gaze on the
Divine mind, and less so when it stoops to bodily things." Wherefore
it is evident that the active life does not directly command the
contemplative life, but prescribes certain works of the active life
as dispositions to the contemplative life; which it accordingly
serves rather than commands. Gregory refers to this when he says
(Hom. iii in Ezech.) that "the active life is bondage, whereas the
contemplative life is freedom."
Reply Obj. 3: Sometimes a man is called away from the contemplative
life to the works of the active life, on account of some necessity of
the present life, yet not so as to be compelled to forsake
contemplation altogether. Hence Augustine says (De Civ. Dei xix, 19):
"The love of truth seeks a holy leisure, the demands of charity
undertake an honest toil," the work namely of the active life. "If no
one imposes this burden upon us we must devote ourselves to the
research and contemplation of truth, but if it be imposed on us, we
must bear it because charity demands it of us. Yet even then we must
not altogether forsake the delights of truth, lest we deprive
ourselves of its sweetness, and this burden overwhelm us." Hence it
is clear that when a person is called from the contemplative life to
the active life, this is done by way not of subtraction but of
addition.
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