Meditation for August 16, The Graces of Contemplation

In general "contemplation is a gift of the perfect, whether they are already so, or they have been called to become so."

This is the opinion of Alvarez de Paz, understanding by contemplation "the grace of the higher states of prayer."

He adds further that

"all the perfect are not called to perfect contemplation. God has various ways of making the perfect and the saints. There are some whom He forms in an admirable man­ner by afflictions, sicknesses, temptations and persecutions; others He moulds to sanctity through the works of the active life, or the ministry of souls, exercised with very pure intentions; still others He conducts to a high degree of sanctity by means of common prayer and mortification in all things.

"It often happens that those favored with the gifts of contempla­tion find themselves inferior in perfect charity to others who have not received such graces. There are some perfect souls to whom God has refused this gift, because they do not have a temperament sufficiently calm for contemplation, and He wishes to arrange all things with His usual suavity [in a gracious manner]. He refuses it to others, that they may give themselves over entirely to the conversion of souls from which they would be withdrawn by extraordinary prayer and ecstasy; keeps it from others, to humiliate them lest they esteem themselves too much and become proud of these showier gifts; finally He withholds it from others to accomplish His secret designs which He does not allow us to know."

"O my God, I do not know what degree of contemplation You desire for me; that is Your concern and does not worry me. My only desire is to give You, as did Your Mother Mary, the full measure of love that You expect of me. With Father Alvarez I will content myself with saying this prayer to You:

"O Lord, You have created me that I may know You perfectly, that I may love You ardently, and that I may possess You eternally. Would that I could begin even in this life, as far as possible, that union of spirit and of heart which will be perfected forever in eternal life."
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From Meditations for Religious
by Father Raoul Plus, S.J. (© 1939, Frederick Pustet Co.)