Is there 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.

“Objection 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 (it would seem that) there is no delight in contemplation.

“Objection 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 Corinthians 13:12: ‘We see now through a glass in a dark manner.’ Therefore seemingly there is no delight in the contemplative life.

“Objection 4. Further, a lesion of the body is an obstacle to delight. Now contemplation causes a lesion of the body; wherefore it is stated that after Jacob had said, ‘”I have seen God face to face” . . . he halted on his foot. . . because he touched the sinew of his thigh and it shrank’ (Genesis 32:30-32). Therefore seemingly there is no delight in contemplation.

“On the contrary: It is written of the contemplation of wisdom (Wisdom 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, 03, 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 (1 and 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, 31, 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 (Psalm 33:9): ‘O taste and see that the Lord is sweet.’


“Reply to Objection 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 to Objection 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 (Wisdom 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 (Romans 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 to Objection 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 (Psalm 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 to Objection 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 everyone who halts on one foot leans only on that foot which is sound.’ “

Saint Thomas Aquinas
Summa Theologicae
From the Second Part of the Second Part
Question 180, article 7

(from a previous post)

I persevered in the reading

"and did not let my mind wander until I found this encouraging theme: Set your desires on the greater gifts. And I will show you the way which surpasses all others. For the Apostle insists that the greater gifts are nothing at all without love and that this same love is surely the best path leading directly to God.

"At length I had found peace of mind. When I had looked upon the mystical body of the Church, I recognised myself in none of the members which St. Paul described, and what is more, I desired to distinguish myself more favourably within the whole body.

"Love appeared to me to be the hinge for my vocation. Indeed I knew that the Church had a body composed of various members, but in this body the necessary and more noble member was not lacking; I knew that the Church had a heart and that such a heart appeared to be aflame with love.

"I knew that one love drove the members of the Church to action, that if this love were extinguished, the apostles would have proclaimed the Gospel no longer, the martyrs would have shed their blood no more.

"I saw and realised that love sets off the bounds of all vocations, that love is everything, that this same love embraces every time and every place. In one word, that love is everlasting.

"Then, nearly ecstatic with the supreme joy in my soul, I proclaimed:

"'O Jesus, my love,
at last I have found my calling:
my call is love.
Certainly I have found
my place in the Church,
and you gave me
that very place, my God.

"'In the heart of the Church, my mother,
I will be love,

and thus I will be all things,
as my desire finds its direction."

From Story of a Soul
Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus (Saint Thérèse of Lisieux)
(Office of the Readings)

(from an earlier post)

"Let the children come to me"

Then children were brought to Him
that He might lay his hands on them and pray.
The disciples rebuked the people;
but Jesus said,

"Let the children come to me,
and do not hinder them;
for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven."

And He laid his hands on them and went away.

(Today's Gospel Matthew 19:13-15)

"Lord, save me!"

But when (Peter) saw how strong the wind was
he became frightened;
and, beginning to sink, he cried out,
"Lord, save me!"



Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand
and caught him,
and said to him,
"O you of little faith,
why did you doubt?"


(Matthew 14:30-31 - from today's Gospel)

From the heavens

Just as from the heavens
the rain and snow come down
and do not return there
till they have watered the earth,
making it fertile and fruitful,
giving seed to the one who sows
and bread to the one who eats,
so shall my word be
that goes forth from my mouth;
my word shall not return to me void,
but shall do my will,
achieving the end for which I sent it.

(Today's first reading Isaiah 55:10-11)

"Come to me...

"...all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you
and learn from me,
for I am meek and humble of heart;
and you will find rest for yourselves.
For my yoke is easy,
and my burden light.

(Matthew 11:28-30 - today's Gospel)

Pentecost

Veni, Sancte Spiritus
reple tuorum corda fidelium,
et tui amoris in eis accende.

V. Emitte Spiritum tuum et creabuntur.
R. Et renovabis faciem terrae.

Oremus

Deus,
qui corda fidelium
Sancti Spiritus illustratione docuisti.
Da nobis in eodem Spiritu recta sapere,
et de eius semper consolatione gaudere.
Per Christum Dominum nostrum.
Amen.

Come, Holy Spirit,
fill the hearts of Thy faithful
and enkindle in them the fire of Thy love.

V. Send forth Thy Spirit and they shall be created
R. And Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.

Let us pray:
O GOD,
Who didst instruct the hearts of the faithful
by the light of the Holy Spirit,
grant us in the same Spirit to be truly wise,
and ever rejoice in His consolation.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

The LORD is my shepherd

I shall not want

he makes me lie down in green pastures.

He leads me beside still waters;

he restores my soul.

He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I fear no evil;

for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff,

they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

thou anointest my head with oil,

my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life;

and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD

for ever.

Psalm 23 The Responsorial Psalm for today's Mass

(from an earlier post)

Exsultet

Exultet iam angelica turba caelorum:
exultent divina mysteria:
et pro tanti Regis victoria
tuba insonet salutaris.

Exult now O ye angelic throngs of the heavens:
Exult O ye divine mysteries:
and let the saving trumpet resound
for the victory of so great a King.

Gaudeat et tellus tantis irradiata fulgoribus:
et, aeterni Regis splendore illustrata,
totius orbis se sentiat amisisse caliginem.

Let the earthly realm also be joyful,
made radiant by such flashings like lightning:
and, made bright with the splendor of the eternal King,
let it perceive
that it has dismissed the entire world’s gloom.

Laetetur et mater Ecclesia,
tanti luminis adornata fulgoribus:
et magnis populorum vocibus haec aula resultet.

Let Mother Church rejoice as well,
adorned with the blazes of so great a light:
and let this royal hall ring
with the great voices of the peoples.

Quapropter astantes vos, fratres carissimi,
ad tam miram huius sancti luminis claritatem,
una mecum, quaeso,
Dei omnipotentis misericordiam invocate.

Wherefore, most beloved brothers and sisters,
you here present to such a wondrous brightness
of this holy light,
I beseech you, together with me
invoke the mercy of Almighty God.

Ut, qui me non meis meritis
intra Levitarum numerum dignatus est aggregare,
luminis sui claritatem infundens,
cerei huius laudem implere perficiat.

Let Him who deigned to gather me
in among the number of the Levites,
by no merits of mine,
while pouring forth the glory of His own light
enable me to bring to fullness
the praise of this waxen candle.

Vers. Dominus vobiscum.
Resp. Et cum spiritu tuo.
Vers. Sursum corda.
Resp. Habemus ad Dominum.
Vers. Gratias agamus Domino Deo nostro.
Resp. Dignum et iustum est.

V: The Lord be with you!
R: And with your spirit!
V: Raise your hearts on high!
R: We now have them present to the Lord!
V: Let us then give thanks to the Lord our God!
R: This is worthy and just!

Vere dignum et iustum est,
invisibilem Deum Patrem omnipotentem
Filiumque eius unigenitum,
Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum,
toto cordis ac mentis affectu
et vocis ministerio personare.
Qui pro nobis aeterno Patri Adae debitum solvit,
et veteris piaculi cautionem pio cruore detersit.

Truly it is worthy and just
to resound forth with the whole of the heart,
disposition of mind,
and by the ministry of the voice,
the invisible God the Father Almighty,
and His Only-begotten Son
our Lord Jesus Christ,
Who, on our behalf,
resolved Adam’s debt to the Eternal Father
and cleansed with dutiful bloodshed
the bond of the ancient crime.

Haec sunt enim festa paschalia,
in quibus verus ille Agnus occiditur,
cuius sanguine postes fidelium consecrantur.

For these are the Paschal holy days,
in which that true Lamb is slain,
by Whose Blood the doorposts of the faithful are consecrated.

Haec nox est,
in qua primum patres nostros, filios Israel
eductos de Aegypto,
Mare Rubrum sicco vestigio transire fecisti.

This is the night
in which first of all You caused our forefathers,
the children of Israel brought forth from Egypt,
to pass dry shod through the Red Sea.

Haec igitur nox est,
quae peccatorum tenebras columnae illuminatione purgavit.

This is the night
which purged the darkness of sins by the illumination of the pillar.

Haec nox est,
quae hodie per universum mundum in Christo credentes,
a vitiis saeculi et caligine peccatorum segregatos,
reddit gratiae, sociat sanctitati.

This is the night
which today restores to grace
and unites in sanctity throughout the world
Christ’s believers,
separated from the vices of the world
and the darkness of sins.

Haec nox est,
in qua, destructis vinculis mortis,
Christus ab inferis victor ascendit.
Nihil enim nobis nasci profuit,
nisi redimi profuisset.

This is the night
in which, once the chains of death were undone,
Christ the victor arose from the nether realm.
For it would have profited us nothing to have been born,
unless it had been fitting for us to be redeemed.

O mira circa nos tuae pietatis dignatio!
O inaestimabilis dilectio caritatis:
ut servum redimeres, Filium tradidisti!
O certe necessarium Adae peccatum,
quod Christi morte deletum est!
O felix culpa,
quae talem ac tantum meruit habere Redemptorem!

O wondrous condescension of Your dutiful concern for us!
O inestimable affection of sacrificial love:
You delivered up Your Son that You might redeem the slave!
O truly needful sin of Adam,
that was blotted out by the death of Christ!
O happy fault,
that merited to have such and so great a Redeemer!

O vere beata nox,
quae sola meruit scire tempus et horam,
in qua Christus ab inferis resurrexit!
Haec nox est, de qua scriptum est:
Et nox sicut dies illuminabitur:
et nox illuminatio mea in deliciis meis.

O truly blessed night,
that alone deserved to know the time and hour
in which Christ rose again from the nether world!
This is the night about which it was written:
And night shall be made as bright as day:
and night is as my brightness for me.

Huius igitur sanctificatio noctis fugat scelera,
culpas lavat:
et reddit innocentiam lapsis
et maestis laetitiam.
Fugat odia, concordiam parat
et curvat imperia.

Therefore the sanctification of this night
puts to flight all wickedness,
cleanses sins,
and restores innocence to the fallen
and gladness to the sorrowful.
It drives away hatreds,
procures concord,
and makes dominions bend.

O vere beata nox,
in qua terrenis caelestia,
humanis divina iunguntur!

O truly blessed night,
in which heavenly things
are joined to those of earth,
the divine to the human!

In huius igitur noctis gratia, suscipe, sancte Pater,
laudis huius sacrificium vespertinum,
quod tibi in hac cerei oblatione sollemni,
per ministrorum manus
de operibus apum, sacrosancta reddit Ecclesia.

Therefore, in this night of grace,
accept, O Holy Father,
the evening sacrifice of this praise,
which Holy Church renders to You
in the solemn offering of this waxen candle
by the hands of Your ministers from the work of bees.

Sed iam columnae huius praeconia novimus,
quam in honorem Dei rutilans ignis accendit.
Qui, licet sit divisus in partes,
mutuati tamen luminis detrimenta non novit.
Alitur enim liquantibus ceris,
quas in substantiam pretiosae huius lampadis
apis mater eduxit.

We are knowing now the proclamations of this column,
which glowing fire kindles in honor of God.
Which fire, although it is divided into parts,
is knowing no loss from its light being lent out.
For it is nourished by the melting streams of wax,
which the mother bee produced
for the substance of this precious torch.

Oramus ergo te, Domine,
ut cereus iste in honorem tui nominis consecratus,
ad noctis huius caliginem destruendam,
indeficiens perseveret.

Therefore, we beseech You, O Lord,
that this waxen candle, consecrated in honor of Your name,
may continue unfailing to dispel the darkness of this night.

Et in odorem suavitatis acceptus,
supernis luminaribus misceatur.

And once it is accepted as a placating sacrifice,
may it be mingled with the heavenly lights.

Flammas eius lucifer matutinus inveniat:
Ille, inquam, lucifer, qui nescit occasum:
Christus Filius tuus,
qui, regressus ab inferis, humano generi serenus illuxit,
et vivit et regnat in saecula saeculorum.

Let the morning star meet with its flame:
that very star, I say, which knows no setting:
Christ your Son
Who, having returned from the nether realm,
broke serene like the dawn upon the human race,
and now lives and reigns forever and ever.

AMEN.



The great hymn of the Easter Vigil

(translation by Fr.Z)

(from a previous post)

I sought him

whom my heart loves-

I sought him
but I did not find him.

I will rise then
and go about the city;

in the streets and crossings
I will seek
Him whom my heart loves.

I sought him
but I did not find him.
Song of Songs 3:1b-2
(from an earlier Holy Saturday post)