Living The Contemplative Life

Some years ago, the Catholic Peace Weekly had an article on "New Seeds of Contemplation," a book that deals with ‘contemplation’ and in which the reporter summarizes chapter 1: ‘What is contemplation?’  Those who have read the book will agree that its contents are difficult. The reason for this is that contemplation is not something that can be taught to anyone, and it cannot be fully expressed in human language. However, it is something we should all try to attain.

Christians hope to see God and enjoy eternal happiness with Him. Merton’s contemplation is to taste true happiness with God in advance in paradise, the original place of mankind where Adam was. Merton viewed contemplation as God’s grace that mercifully completes the mysterious work of creation hidden within us.

“Contemplation is the reason God created us. Through contemplation, we know and love Him as the ‘God who is", and we come to know Him through a deep and vivid experience that our nature cannot comprehend… All who have reached the purpose of creation will become contemplatives in heaven. However, God has made it possible for many to enter this supernatural realm and experience a new environment while they are still in the world.”

To understand Merton’s words, we must realize the purpose of creation and its completion. As we can see in Genesis, God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh day, and the completion of creation is precisely this ‘rest’. Eternal rest and peace with God is the ultimate purpose of our human creation. To put it another way, this is heaven, the kingdom of God. “All who have reached the purpose of creation will become contemplatives in heaven.”  Heaven has already come among us through Jesus. When Jesus proclaimed, “Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand,” he taught that “the kingdom of God is already among us.” And he accomplished this kingdom of God through his death on the cross and resurrection. In other words, Jesus himself is the kingdom of God and heaven. When we unite with Jesus, we live in heaven here and now.

In this context, Merton teaches us that contemplation is precisely the ‘restoration of the original life of man’, the ‘restoration of life in paradise.’ “Amid the anxiety that arises when we stand alone before God in our own nothingness, we must stand naked, without any explanation, without any theoretical system, and we must entrust ourselves completely to his providence, and we must earnestly seek his grace, mercy, and the light of faith. Because true contemplation is not a psychological technique but a theological grace.” 

Adam was naked before God in the Garden of Eden, but he felt no shame. However, after committing a sin against God’s will, he felt shame and hid from God. Jesus Christ, the new Adam, was crucified naked on the cross. He forgave Adam’s sin and all of our sins and restored paradise. Merton saw contemplation as becoming one with Jesus’ nakedness. He describes contemplation as entering paradise, the original place of human beings, where there is no longer any need for shame, even if naked before God.

Merton wrote in a letter to a friend in 1963: “For me, the contemplative life is a search for truth and God. This is discovering what is truly important in my life and finding my rightful place in God’s creation.” 

Living with God in paradise is our original place as humans. And contemplation is restoring that original place. However, we often fail to respond to His invitation of love and hide. It may be because we lack the courage to show our shameful selves as they are.  However, just as Jesus hung naked on the cross, let us entrust ourselves to Him as we are and enter His paradise. And let us remember this. Restoring life in this paradise is not a completion but a new beginning.