Whether the Contemplative Life Is Hindered by the Active Life?
Objection 1: It would seem that the contemplative life is hindered by
the active life. For the contemplative life requires a certain
stillness of mind, according to Ps. 45:11, "Be still, and see that I
am God"; whereas the active life involves restlessness, according to
Luke 10:41, "Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many
things." Therefore the active life hinders the contemplative.
Obj. 2: Further, clearness of vision is a requisite for the
contemplative life. Now active life is a hindrance to clear vision;
for Gregory says (Hom. xiv in Ezech.) that it "is blear-eyed and
fruitful, because the active life, being occupied with work, sees
less." Therefore the active life hinders the contemplative.
Obj. 3: Further, one contrary hinders the other. Now the active and
the contemplative life are apparently contrary to one another, since
the active life is busy about many things, while the contemplative
life attends to the contemplation of one; wherefore they differ in
opposition to one another. Therefore it would seem that the
contemplative life is hindered by the active.
_On the contrary,_ Gregory says (Moral. vi, 37): "Those who wish to
hold the fortress of contemplation, must first of all train in the
camp of action."
_I answer that,_ The active life may be considered from two points of
view. First, as regards the attention to and practice of external
works: and thus it is evident that the active life hinders the
contemplative, in so far as it is impossible for one to be busy with
external action, and at the same time give oneself to Divine
contemplation. Secondly, active life may be considered as quieting
and directing the internal passions of the soul; and from this point
of view the active life is a help to the contemplative, since the
latter is hindered by the inordinateness of the internal passions.
Hence Gregory says (Moral. vi, 37): "Those who wish to hold the
fortress of contemplation must first of all train in the camp of
action. Thus after careful study they will learn whether they no
longer wrong their neighbor, whether they bear with equanimity the
wrongs their neighbors do to them, whether their soul is neither
overcome with joy in the presence of temporal goods, nor cast down
with too great a sorrow when those goods are withdrawn. In this way
they will know when they withdraw within themselves, in order to
explore spiritual things, whether they no longer carry with them the
shadows of the things corporeal, or, if these follow them, whether
they prudently drive them away." Hence the work of the active life
conduces to the contemplative, by quelling the interior passions
which give rise to the phantasms whereby contemplation is hindered.
This suffices for the Replies to the Objections; for these arguments
consider the occupation itself of external actions, and not the effect
which is the quelling of the passions.
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