The Contemplative Life (Research Essentials)

The contemplative life has an apostolic aspect, it is an idea, which the hectic activity of modern life is unfamiliar. It is more appropriate to ask what is the practical use of idle individuals, shut up alone in contemplation, at a time when there is so much to be done. Moreover what can they do in their state of isolation? The criterion of a monk is to seek Christ as hermits. In this endeavor, I will further explain that we are not hiding nor running away from neither the world nor ourselves. In fact, we have plotted a course set for ground zero. The truth is, as a cloistered individual you are confronted with yourself and God, in a face-to-face encounter, which does not diminish, but envelopes your entire scope of thought reason and vision. In our daily encounters, there is nothing beyond these two. On hearing that they live lives of prayer and self-sacrifice, the laity are inclined to ask why, and for whom? The answer is that they do so for the good of souls that greatly need both prayer and self-sacrifice. We are in the habit of forgetting that prayer and penance are indispensable to the conversion of sinners, and to the progress of the good and to the perfection of the Saints? As a cloistered member, you continually are confronted with the strengths and weakness of yourself and those around you. Honesty, integrity, humility, and love are essential, since you have nowhere else to go. You cannot escape, where shall we go? We must confront, address, and deal fairly and honestly with what is presented before us. We cannot live in a community with anger, envy, strife and alike. Throughout the ages from John Cassian on down to Benedict and to Teresa of Avila, all have repeated this same subject. This work is dedicated to facilitating the laity s understanding of the contemplative life, while reminding those within of their initial calling and objectives.