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3. Lastly, the more durable a thing is the more capable it seems of lasting after this life. But the active life is more durable than the contemplative, for S. Gregory says[436]: "We can remain steadfast in the active life, but in nowise can we maintain the mind's fixed gaze in the contemplative life." Consequently the active life is much more capable of continuing after death than is the contemplative life.
But in our present state the durability of the active life as compared with the contemplative life does not arise from any feature of either of these kinds of life considered in themselves, but from a defect on our part; for we are dragged down from the heights of contemplation by the body's burden. And thus S. Gregory goes on to say that, "thrust back by its very weakness from those vast heights, the soul relapses into itself."
"O bless our God, ye Gentiles: and make the voice of His praise to be heard. Who hath set my soul to live: and hath not suffered my feet to be moved. For Thou, O God, hast proved us; Thou hast tried us by fire, as silver is tried. Thou hast brought us into a net, Thou hast laid afflictions on our back; Thou hast set men over our heads. We have passed through fire and water, and Thou hast brought us out into a refreshment."[437]
[407] Of the Supreme Good, III., xv.
[408] Qu. CLXXIX. 1.
[409] Ethics, II., iv. 3.
[410] Ibid., X., viii. 1.
[411] Hom. XIV., On Ezechiel.
[412] Ethics, V., i. 15.
[413] Hom. XIV., On Ezechiel.
[414] Ecclus. xli. 1-6.
[415] Ethics., X., viii. 2.
[416] Ibid., V., ii. 4.
[417] Ethics, VI., v. 4.
[418] Ibid., X., viii. 2.
[419] De Officiis, I., v.
[420] Hom. XIV., On Ezechiel.
[421] Conjuratio Catilinæ, li.
[422] Of the City of God, xix. 2, 3, and 19.
[423] Job xxxi. 14, 23.
[424] Hom. XIV., On Ezechiel.
[425] On the Words of the Lord, Sermon civ., alias xxvii. 1.
[426] Hom. V., On Ezechiel.
[427] Metaphysics, I., i. 9.
[428] Hom. XIV., On Ezechiel.
[429] xxii. 30.
[430] On the Trinity, xiv. 9.
[431] Of the Heavenly Hierarchy, vii.
[432] S. Matt. xviii. 10.
[433] 1 John iii. 2.
[434] xxxi. 34.
[435] Moralia in Job, ii. 2.
[436] Hom. V., On Ezechiel.
[437] Ps. lxv. 8-12.
I. Is the Active Life preferable to the Contemplative?
Cardinal Cajetan, On Preparation for the Contemplative Life
S. Augustine, Confessions, X., xliii. 70
On Psalm xxvi.
II. Is the Active Life more Meritorious than the Contemplative?
III. Is the Active Life a Hindrance to the Contemplative Life?
Cardinal Cajetan, On the True Interior Life
S. Augustine, Sermon, CCLVI., v. 6
IV. Does the Active Life precede the Contemplative?
The Lord said: Mary hath chosen the best part, which shall not be taken away from her.[438] And by Mary is signified the contemplative life, which is consequently to be preferred to the active.
There is no reason why one thing should not be in itself more excellent than another while yet this latter is, for certain reasons, preferable to it.[Pg 234] Absolutely speaking, then, the contemplative life is better than the active. And the Philosopher[439] alleges eight proofs of this. Firstly, that the contemplative life pertains to that which is best in a man, namely his intellect and its proper objects, i.e. intelligible truths, whereas the active life is concerned with external things. Hence Rachel, who typifies the contemplative life, is interpreted as meaning "the Beginning seen"; while Lia, who was blear-eyed, typifies, according to S. Gregory, the active life.[440]
