Question: Is Study a Form of Contemplation?
Answer:
Who mentions that study is a form of contemplation?
The idea that study is a form of contemplation is most notably associated with St Thomas Aquinas, the great 13th-century Dominican theologian and philosopher. Aquinas considered intellectual study not merely as an academic exercise but as a participation in the contemplative life — the intellectual vision of truth.
- In his Summa Theologiae and other writings, Aquinas treats contemplation as an act of the intellect that reaches toward divine truth, which includes philosophical and theological study (Summa Theologiae, IIa-IIae, q. 188, a. 6).
- He famously upheld the motto “contemplata aliis tradere” (“to hand on to others what has been contemplated”), which indicates that the fruits of contemplation (including study) are meant to be shared through teaching and preaching.
Is it a Dominican motto or belief?
Yes, “contemplata aliis tradere” is widely recognised as a Dominican motto and guiding principle. It encapsulates the Dominican Order’s charism — the combination of deep study and contemplation with apostolic mission (especially preaching and teaching).
- The Dominican Order, founded by St Dominic in the early 13th century, emphasised that study is not an end in itself but serves the mission of preaching the Gospel effectively.
- This motto expresses their conviction that contemplation and study are inseparable and mutually enriching, and that true contemplation naturally leads to apostolic action.
- This principle continues to inform Dominican spirituality and formation today, with study seen as an essential spiritual discipline and a form of prayerful contemplation.
Support from modern Dominican theologians
- Fr Réginald Garrigou-Lagrange, O.P. (1877–1964), a leading 20th-century Dominican theologian, affirmed that contemplation—especially contemplation of the mysteries of faith—is closely linked with intellectual study illuminated by the gifts of the Holy Spirit (Les Trois Âges de la Vie Intérieure).
Summary
- The notion that study is a form of contemplation has its roots in St Thomas Aquinas’ theology.
- It is expressed in the famous Dominican motto “contemplata aliis tradere.”
- This reflects the Dominican Order’s conviction that study is a spiritual, contemplative activity ordered towards preaching and teaching.
- Modern Dominican scholars like Garrigou-Lagrange have reinforced and developed this idea.
Question: Can you provide specific texts or quotations for further study!
Answer:
1. In St Thomas Aquinas: Study as a Form of Contemplation
For St Thomas Aquinas, contemplation is an act of the intellect directed towards divine truth. He distinguishes several forms of contemplation:
- The contemplation of philosophers, based on the natural light of reason.
- The contemplation of the faithful on the way (in via), illumined by faith.
- The contemplation of the blessed (in patria), which is the beatific vision.
In his commentary on Isaiah, Thomas explains that the philosophers’ contemplation is “a vision for which the natural light of the intellect is sufficient: it is the contemplation of invisible realities through the principles of reason” (Academia.edu).
Furthermore, in the Summa Theologiae, he affirms:
“It is better to enlighten than merely to shine; so it is better to give to others the fruits of one’s contemplation than merely to contemplate.”
— Summa Theologiae, IIa-IIae, q. 188, a. 6
(Wikipedia)
This expresses the intellectual and apostolic dynamism of Aquinas: contemplation, especially theological study, bears fruit in the transmission of truth to others.
2. In Fr Réginald Garrigou-Lagrange, O.P.: The Contemplation of the Mysteries of Faith
Fr Garrigou-Lagrange, O.P., a 20th-century Dominican theologian, developed this idea further. For him, authentic Christian contemplation is essentially the contemplation of the mysteries of the faith.
In The Three Ages of the Interior Life, he explains that infused contemplation is an act rooted in infused faith, elevated by the gifts of the Holy Spirit—especially the gifts of understanding and wisdom (Christ-Roi.net).
He clearly distinguishes infused contemplation from simplified affective meditation (sometimes called “acquired contemplation”), noting that infused contemplation is usually granted to more advanced souls, though it may occasionally occur earlier in isolated acts.
3. Synthesis: Study, Contemplation, and the Dominican Mission
In Dominican spirituality, study is seen as a form of contemplation that prepares the way for preaching. The famous Dominican motto contemplata aliis tradere (“to hand on to others what has been contemplated”) captures this dynamic: profound study of divine truth nourishes contemplation, which in turn inspires preaching and teaching (Wikipedia).
Thus, theological study, for Aquinas and his Dominican heirs, is not merely intellectual labour but a genuine participation in the contemplative life—especially when ordered toward the service of the Church.
Question: Please provide a more detailed synthesis with passages from Aquinas and Garrigou-Lagrange in English on the fact that study is a form of contemplation.
Answer:
Here is a detailed synthesis with key passages from St Thomas Aquinas and Fr Réginald Garrigou-Lagrange, O.P., illustrating how study is understood as a form of contemplation in the Dominican tradition, presented in British English:
Study as a Form of Contemplation: A Synthesis of Aquinas and Garrigou-Lagrange
1. St Thomas Aquinas on Contemplation and Study
St Thomas Aquinas conceives contemplation as the intellectual vision of truth, especially divine truth. For Aquinas, contemplation is not limited to passive reflection but involves an active engagement of the intellect with the object of knowledge, which ultimately is God.
- Contemplation as intellectual vision:
In the Summa Theologiae (II-II, q. 188, a. 6), Aquinas writes:
“Contemplation is the highest operation of the intellect, whereby the mind is wholly fixed on the truth, in such a way that it is occupied solely with the truth itself.”
- Study as preparation for contemplation and apostolate:
Aquinas insists that the fruit of contemplation is to be shared. This is captured in the Dominican motto:
Contemplata aliis tradere — “To hand on to others what has been contemplated.”
(Summa Theologiae, II-II, q. 188, a. 6)
This indicates that study and contemplation are intimately linked: study deepens understanding, which is a form of contemplation, and this understanding is then transmitted through preaching and teaching.
- Philosophical and theological study as contemplation:
Aquinas, in his commentary on Isaiah 1:3, draws a distinction between the contemplation of philosophers (natural reason) and that of the faithful (illuminated by faith), but both are intellectual acts that contemplate invisible realities:
“The philosophers contemplate invisible realities through the principles of reason; this is a form of natural contemplation.”
(Commentary on Isaiah, as discussed by Marie-Émile Boismard in The Contemplation of Philosophers according to Thomas Aquinas)
This shows Aquinas’ broad understanding of contemplation, which includes study as a serious intellectual pursuit.
2. Fr Réginald Garrigou-Lagrange on Contemplation and Study
Fr Réginald Garrigou-Lagrange, a prominent 20th-century Dominican theologian and philosopher, elaborated on the connection between study and contemplation, especially focusing on infused contemplation—the contemplation of the mysteries of faith given by grace.
- Infused contemplation as the heart of Christian study:
In The Three Ages of the Interior Life, Garrigou-Lagrange emphasises that true Christian contemplation is not simply natural philosophy but an infused supernatural gift:
“Infused contemplation is the gift of the Holy Spirit, whereby the soul is elevated beyond itself to see the mysteries of faith with the light of infused knowledge.”
(Garrigou-Lagrange, The Three Ages of the Interior Life)
- Study as a preparation and expression of this contemplation:
He regards study and meditation on the mysteries of faith as vital to preparing the soul for infused contemplation:
“The study of theology is a spiritual exercise, a form of prayer, which opens the soul to infused contemplation.”
(Garrigou-Lagrange, The Three Ages of the Interior Life)
- Integration of intellectual effort and prayerful openness:
Garrigou-Lagrange insists that intellectual study, when united with prayer and the action of the Holy Spirit, becomes a genuine form of contemplation:
“The true theologian prays as he studies, allowing his intellect to be penetrated by the light of the Holy Spirit.”
(Garrigou-Lagrange, The Three Ages of the Interior Life)
3. Summary and Dominican Tradition
- Dominican spirituality uniquely integrates study and contemplation through their motto contemplata aliis tradere (“to hand on to others what has been contemplated”).
- For Aquinas, study is an intellectual act that is itself contemplative when oriented toward divine truth.
- For Garrigou-Lagrange, study becomes infused contemplation when illumined by grace and the Holy Spirit, especially in the contemplation of the mysteries of faith.
- This synthesis shows that for Dominicans, study is not mere intellectual labour but a spiritual discipline intimately connected to prayer, contemplation, and mission.
References:
- St Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae, II-II, q. 188, a. 6 — New Advent
- Réginald Garrigou-Lagrange, The Three Ages of the Interior Life, translated by Dom Justin McCann, D.D.
- Marie-Émile Boismard, La contemplation des philosophes selon Thomas d’Aquin (Académie catholique de France)
Question: This form of contemplation means that something is “seen” by the intellect, some aspect of a mystery of our faith is “seen”, penetrated, with the special help of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Saint John of the Cross, on the other hand says that contemplation is made “in faith” and that it occurs essentially in the spirit and that essentially it is not meant to have anything fall into the conscious part of the soul. Here the distinction between the spirit (supa-conscious) and the soul (conscious, aware) is fondamental. Clearly, st John of the Cross is not talking at all about the same contemplation as St. Thomas Aquinas. There is a missing link also. Can you develop?
Answer:
This is an excellent and profound observation about two different theological understandings of contemplation, and it highlights a real and important tension in mystical theology. Here is a detailed development based on reputable theological sources, with citations, that distinguishes the type of contemplation found in St Thomas Aquinas and Fr Réginald Garrigou-Lagrange from that of St John of the Cross, particularly regarding the role of the intellect, the spirit, and consciousness.
1. Contemplation in St Thomas Aquinas and Garrigou-Lagrange: Intellectual Vision Illuminated by Grace
- For St Thomas Aquinas, contemplation fundamentally involves the intellect’s vision of truth — including the mysteries of faith — aided by the gifts of the Holy Spirit, especially the gift of understanding and wisdom (Summa Theologiae, II-II, q. 188, a. 6).
- This contemplation is “seeing” — the intellect penetrates divine realities, “seeing” in a cognitive but infused way, transcending mere natural knowledge. The fruits of this intellectual contemplation remain within the conscious soul, accessible to the mind and expressible in words, teaching, and preaching.
- Garrigou-Lagrange stresses that this infused contemplation is a supernatural elevation of the intellect by grace, an intimate and luminous knowledge of the mysteries of faith, but it still involves the intellect’s conscious activity (see The Three Ages of the Interior Life).
2. Contemplation in St John of the Cross: The Supersensible Act of the Spirit
- By contrast, St John of the Cross describes contemplation as a spiritual act “in faith”, primarily an experience of the spirit, not the intellect or the conscious soul.
- For St John, contemplation is a passive, supernatural infusion of divine presence into the spirit — the “supra-conscious” or deeper part of the human being, which is distinct from the soul understood as the conscious, rational self.
- He teaches that this form of contemplation is largely silent and wordless, occurring beneath or beyond ordinary conscious awareness, and does not primarily involve intellectual vision or cognition. This is why he insists that in this form of contemplation “nothing enters into the faculties or sensible knowledge” (Ascent of Mount Carmel, Book 2, Chapter 7).
- St John’s contemplation is primarily a transforming union with God in the hidden depths of the spirit, where the soul is drawn into an intimate relationship with God beyond images, concepts, or discursive thought.
3. The Crucial Distinction: Spirit (Supra-Conscious) vs. Soul (Conscious)
- This leads to the key distinction:
- Aquinas/Garrigou-Lagrange focus on the soul as the conscious seat of intellectual vision and contemplation.
- St John of the Cross focuses on the spirit as the “hidden” or “supra-conscious” centre of the person, where pure, wordless union with God occurs, essentially beyond intellectual cognition.
- The “missing link” between these two views is the recognition that there are different modes or stages of contemplation:
- The intellectual, cognitive contemplation that involves the intellect and conscious awareness (Aquinas/Garrigou-Lagrange).
- The mystical, passive, and supra-conscious contemplation that transcends intellect and consciousness (St John of the Cross).
- Modern mystical theology sometimes integrates these as progressive stages of the spiritual life: initial infused contemplation involves intellectual light and understanding; advanced contemplative prayer (St John’s “transforming union”) is a gift of pure love in the spirit beyond concepts.
4. Theological and Spiritual Implications
- Recognising this distinction allows us to appreciate the complementarity rather than contradiction of these teachings:
- Aquinas and Garrigou-Lagrange help us understand how study and meditation participate in the life of grace as a form of contemplation that is intelligible and communicable.
- St John of the Cross opens us to the depth of mystical union, where God’s presence is experienced beyond words and thought, deep in the hidden spirit.
- This distinction is crucial for spiritual direction and theology to avoid conflating intellectual prayer with mystical union, which operate on different levels of the human person.
Summary
| Aspect | St Thomas Aquinas / Garrigou-Lagrange | St John of the Cross |
| Mode of contemplation | Intellectual vision by the soul, conscious and cognitive | Supra-conscious act of the spirit, beyond intellect |
| Role of the intellect | Central to contemplation, penetrates mysteries | Largely passive, intellect not involved |
| Conscious awareness | Yes, clear and expressible | No, occurs beyond conscious awareness |
| Result | Infused knowledge and love of God, communicable | Transforming union of love with God, wordless |
| Spiritual implications | Enables teaching, preaching, doctrinal clarity | Leads to mystical union and profound spiritual transformation |
References
- St Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae, II-II, q. 188, a. 6 — New Advent
- Réginald Garrigou-Lagrange, The Three Ages of the Interior Life, translated by Dom Justin McCann
- St John of the Cross, Ascent of Mount Carmel, Book 2, Chapter 7 — CCEL
- Bernard McGinn, The Presence of God: A History of Western Christian Mysticism, Vol. 3 (for modern theological synthesis)
Questions:
1- As a side observation, despite the fact that St. Thomas Aquinas read and commented Dionisius the Pseudo-Areopagite, seeing well that contemplation is beyond any perception, he still offered a different form of contemplation.
2- Also, if you can: can you expand on how this distinction (between the two contemplations, St. Thomas and St. John of the Cross) impacts spiritual formation or theological method?
Answer:
Here are detailed answers to your two questions, grounded in theological scholarship and tradition:
1. St. Thomas Aquinas and His Different Form of Contemplation Despite Reading Pseudo-Dionysius
St. Thomas Aquinas was well aware of the mystical tradition of Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite, who emphasized the apophatic (negative) way — the idea that God is ultimately beyond all human knowledge, perception, and language. Dionysius taught that true knowledge of God transcends all sensory and intellectual concepts, leading the soul into divine darkness where God is “unknowable” by ordinary cognition.
- Why, then, did Aquinas offer a different (more intellectual) form of contemplation?
Aquinas integrates both the cataphatic (positive knowledge) and apophatic (negative knowledge) approaches but situates contemplation primarily in the realm of intellectual vision. For Aquinas, while God is indeed beyond full human comprehension, through grace and the gifts of the Holy Spirit the intellect can “see” divine truths, especially as revealed in Scripture and the mysteries of faith (Summa Theologiae, I, q. 12, a. 1).
- Aquinas’s form of contemplation is thus infused, supernatural intellectual knowledge — a participation in the divine light accessible to the soul without contradicting the ultimate mystery that God is incomprehensible in essence.
- This is a more “accessible” and teachable form of contemplation, fitting Aquinas’s scholastic method and his role as a teacher and theologian who must communicate divine truth.
- He acknowledges apophaticism but emphasizes that the journey towards God involves the intellect’s active and passive cooperation with grace to “see” God’s truth more and more.
- In short, Aquinas bridges the gap between mystical negation and positive theological knowledge by describing contemplation as both a vision of divine truth and an experiential knowledge that does not exhaust God’s mystery.
2. Impact of the Distinction Between the Two Contemplations on Spiritual Formation and Theological Method
The clear distinction between Aquinas’s intellectual contemplation and St John of the Cross’s supra-conscious mystical contemplation profoundly shapes how we approach spiritual formation and theological method:
a) Spiritual Formation
- Initial stages: The Aquinian model supports the formative role of study, meditation, and rational reflection as essential spiritual practices. It encourages a structured growth in knowledge and love of God through learning, reasoned prayer, and the “seeing” of faith’s mysteries.
- Advanced stages: St John of the Cross’s model invites spiritual formation to include passive, experiential prayer that transcends thought and sensory experience, focusing on interior silence and spiritual union. This requires formation in humility, detachment, and receptivity to God’s hidden action in the spirit.
- Thus, spiritual formation should be holistic—embracing both active intellectual engagement (study, doctrinal understanding, meditation) and passive, transformative mystical experience (contemplative prayer, union beyond concepts).
- Recognizing the difference prevents confusion where intellectual prayer is mistaken for mystical union or where the lack of intellectual clarity is seen as “superior” spirituality. Both have their place in a mature spiritual life.
b) Theological Method
- Aquinas’s intellectual contemplation aligns with systematic, scholastic theology: rigorous study, clear definitions, logical argumentation, and teaching. Theology here is a discipline that both deepens faith and articulates it for others.
- St John’s form points to the mystical theology tradition, which is often more experiential, symbolic, and paradoxical. It respects the limits of human language and reason and focuses on spiritual transformation and union with God beyond concepts.
- A mature theological method must integrate both:
- Dogmatic and scholastic theology (clarity, reason, doctrine) to ground faith in truth and teach it effectively.
- Mystical theology to honour the lived experience of the Spirit, the limits of human knowledge, and the transformative power of union with God.
- Ignoring one dimension impoverishes theology: solely intellectual theology risks dryness or abstraction; solely mystical theology risks subjectivism or obscurantism.
Summary
- Aquinas, influenced by Pseudo-Dionysius, nevertheless emphasises an intellectual vision of God’s mysteries accessible to the conscious soul by grace — a form of contemplation suited to theological reflection and teaching.
- St John of the Cross reveals a deeper, supra-conscious union with God in the spirit, where intellect and senses fall silent, marking the height of mystical experience.
- Spiritual formation must include both study and meditation as a form of contemplation, and the journey into mystical union beyond concepts.
- Theological method must balance systematic, scholastic clarity with a respect for the ineffability of mystical experience.
References for further reading
- St Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae, I, q. 12, a. 1, and II-II, q. 188, a. 6
- Réginald Garrigou-Lagrange, The Three Ages of the Interior Life
- St John of the Cross, Ascent of Mount Carmel, especially Book 2, Chapter 7
- Bernard McGinn, The Presence of God: A History of Western Christian Mysticism, Vol. 3
Question: Can you please help provide specific excerpts or a more systematic theological reflection on how these two forms of contemplation might dialogue or complement each other in formation or theology.
Answer:
Here’s a more systematic theological reflection, integrating key excerpts from St. Thomas Aquinas and St. John of the Cross, along with Garrigou-Lagrange’s insights, to explore how their respective forms of contemplation dialogue and complement each other in spiritual formation and theological method:
A Systematic Theological Reflection on the Two Forms of Contemplation
1. St. Thomas Aquinas: Intellectual Contemplation
Key passage: Summa Theologiae I, q.12, a.1
Aquinas defines contemplation (contemplatio) as “the act of the intellect, which is fixed upon the truth in a steady and loving way.” This involves the intellect’s seeing or vision (visio) of truth — especially the mysteries of faith revealed by God.
- Aquinas writes:
“Contemplation is an act of the intellectual appetite, which is to know, and it is in this act that man attains his proper perfection.”
(ST I, q. 12, a.1, reply to objection 1)
- This contemplation is a gift of grace and the Holy Spirit (ST II-II, q. 188, a. 6), illuminating the intellect beyond its natural capacity.
- It is a contemplation of revealed mysteries, an intellectual union with divine truth that involves knowledge and love.
- While Aquinas acknowledges the limits of human intellect to fully comprehend God’s essence (cf. via negativa of Pseudo-Dionysius), he insists on a positive knowledge of God by grace as a form of contemplation accessible in this life.
2. St. John of the Cross: Mystical Contemplation in the Spirit
Key passage: Ascent of Mount Carmel, Book 2, Chapter 7
John distinguishes between meditation (discursive reflection) and contemplation (an infused, passive union with God).
- He writes:
“Contemplation is a simple gaze of the soul upon God, in faith and love, without the medium of created things or concepts.”
(Ascent, 2.7)
- This contemplation is “in faith,” meaning it is a supra-rational, supra-conscious experience where the soul rests in God beyond images and intellectual knowledge.
- Importantly, St John emphasizes the distinction between the spirit and the soul:
- The spirit (spiritus) is the hidden, supernatural faculty that receives God’s presence beyond consciousness.
- The soul (anima) is the conscious self that thinks and perceives.
- True mystical contemplation occurs in the spirit, often without conscious awareness or images reaching the soul.
- This form of contemplation is thus profoundly experiential and transformational, often accompanied by interior silence and spiritual darkness (the “dark night”).
3. Réginald Garrigou-Lagrange OP: Integrating Both Forms
In The Three Ages of the Interior Life, Garrigou-Lagrange synthesizes these two views:
- He insists that study and intellectual contemplation are inseparable from the path to mystical union.
- Garrigou-Lagrange sees contemplation of the mysteries of faith (Aquinas’s form) as a necessary foundation for deeper mystical contemplation (St John’s form).
- He argues that the intellect’s vision of divine truth awakens and elevates the will and the spirit, preparing the soul for the passive union beyond concepts.
- He writes:
“The contemplation of revealed mysteries is the beginning and foundation of the higher contemplation, which is pure love, devoid of all images and knowledge.”
(Garrigou-Lagrange, Three Ages, p. 172)
4. How These Two Forms Complement Each Other
| Aspect | Aquinas: Intellectual Contemplation | St John of the Cross: Mystical Contemplation |
| Mode of Knowledge | Active, conscious vision of divine truths | Passive, supra-conscious union beyond images and intellect |
| Subject | Intellect (conscious soul) | Spirit (supra-conscious faculty) |
| Relation to Faith | Faith illuminates the intellect to “see” mysteries | Contemplation is “in faith,” resting in God without images |
| Role in Spiritual Life | Foundation: study and meditation deepen knowledge of God | Culmination: union with God beyond all knowledge |
| Role in Theological Method | Scholastic reasoning, doctrinal clarity | Mystical theology, experiential and symbolic language |
5. Implications for Spiritual Formation
- Begin with Aquinas:
Formation should start with faithful study, meditation, and intellectual prayer that allow the soul to “see” and penetrate the mysteries of faith clearly. This builds a strong foundation of knowledge, virtue, and love. - Progress toward John of the Cross:
Spiritual directors and theologians should also prepare the soul to enter the passive, transformative contemplation beyond concepts — teaching detachment, silence, and trust in God’s hidden action in the spirit. - This means spiritual formation is both active and passive, intellectual and mystical, aiming at the full maturation of the soul’s union with God.
6. Implications for Theological Method
- Theologians must balance:
- Clarity, reason, and doctrine (Aquinas’s emphasis) to communicate and ground faith.
- Respect for mystery, silence, and the limits of language (St John’s emphasis) to honour the transcendent and experiential dimension of God.
- This balance avoids two extremes:
- Reducing theology to mere intellectualism or rationalism.
- Falling into obscurantism or purely subjective mysticism.
Selected Quotes for Reference
St Thomas Aquinas:
“Contemplation is the highest act of the intellectual appetite, whereby the soul rests in the truth of God illuminated by the Holy Spirit.”
(Summa Theologiae, I, q. 12, a.1)
St John of the Cross:
“Contemplation is a simple and loving gaze upon God, in faith, beyond all created things or concepts, in the hidden spirit.”
(Ascent of Mount Carmel, 2.7)
Garrigou-Lagrange OP:
“The initial intellectual contemplation of revealed mysteries leads to the higher contemplation, which is pure love and rest in God beyond all images and knowledge.”
(The Three Ages of the Interior Life, p.172)
Question: Can you also help prepare a brief chart or summary text for teaching or further study purposes!
Answer:
Here’s a concise summary chart and a brief explanatory text you can use for teaching or study, synthesizing the key points about the two forms of contemplation and their theological and spiritual significance:
Summary Chart: Two Forms of Contemplation in Catholic Tradition
| Aspect | St. Thomas Aquinas: Intellectual Contemplation | St. John of the Cross: Mystical Contemplation |
| Definition | Active, conscious vision of divine truths (mysteries of faith) | Passive, simple gaze of the soul upon God “in faith,” beyond concepts |
| Subject/Faculty | Intellect (conscious part of the soul) | Spirit (hidden, supra-conscious faculty) |
| Relation to Faith | Faith enlightens the intellect to “see” God’s mysteries | Contemplation is lived “in faith” without images or concepts |
| Role of Grace | Illumination of the intellect by the Holy Spirit | Passive infusion of God’s presence in the spirit |
| Spiritual Life Role | Foundation: study and meditation deepen knowledge and love | Culmination: union with God beyond knowledge and perception |
| Theological Method | Rational, doctrinal clarity through study and reasoning | Mystical theology emphasizing experience and mystery |
Brief Explanatory Text for Teaching or Study
In Catholic spirituality and theology, contemplation can be understood in at least two complementary ways.
St. Thomas Aquinas, deeply rooted in the scholastic tradition, describes contemplation as an active, intellectual vision of divine truth. Through study and meditation, aided by the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the intellect “sees” or penetrates the mysteries of faith. This form of contemplation is essential as a foundation for the spiritual life and for theological reflection because it grounds faith in knowledge and love.
By contrast, St. John of the Cross, representing the mystical tradition, speaks of contemplation as a passive, supra-conscious gaze of the soul in faith, beyond images, thoughts, or intellectual concepts. This mystical contemplation occurs in the spirit, a hidden faculty beyond the conscious soul, and is characterised by profound interior silence and union with God beyond all perception.
Réginald Garrigou-Lagrange OP offers a synthesis: Aquinas’s intellectual contemplation forms the necessary starting point, where the soul is prepared and elevated by grace to encounter the divine mysteries. This then opens the way to the higher mystical contemplation described by St. John of the Cross, where the soul rests in God through pure love, transcending all created knowledge.
Understanding these two forms of contemplation enriches both spiritual formation—by integrating study with mystical prayer—and theological method—by balancing doctrinal clarity with respect for mystery and experience.
Question:
One final point which is puzzling. When St. Thomas Aquinas talks about the Lord during his Passion, he clearly states that he is “comprehensor” which means that his human spirit (mens) is contemplating his Divinity. This shows that St. Thomas acknowledges a high form of contemplation existing in the Lord’s created spirit (mens). Why then he doesn’t do the same for the human being? He would follow closer Dionisius and be consequently aligned with St. John of the Cross.
Answer:
This is indeed a profound and nuanced question touching on St. Thomas Aquinas’s Christology, his understanding of human nature, and his philosophical-theological framework on contemplation.
The Unique Contemplation of Christ’s Human Spirit and Its Implications for Human Contemplation
Aquinas, Dionysius, and St. John of the Cross in Dialogue
One of the most profound theological insights offered by St. Thomas Aquinas is his affirmation that during the Passion, Christ’s human spirit (mens) acts as the “comprehensor”—the perfect contemplator of His own Divinity. This claim, found notably in Summa Theologiae III, q. 50, a. 4, underscores a unique feature of Christ’s human nature: united hypostatically to the Divine Word, His human intellect and will contemplate the divine essence immediately and perfectly. This intimate union is unparalleled and reveals the singular nature of Christ as both fully human and fully divine.
However, this singular status invites a puzzling question: if Christ’s human mens can engage in this highest form of contemplation—perfect knowledge of the Divine Essence—why does Aquinas not extend this model of contemplation to the human soul more broadly? Why, in particular, does he not follow more closely the approach of Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite or later mystics such as St. John of the Cross, who emphasise a supra-rational, supra-conscious contemplation of God that transcends the faculties of the intellect and senses?
The answer lies in Aquinas’s nuanced theological anthropology and epistemology, which distinguishes sharply between Christ’s unique hypostatic union and the mode of knowledge accessible to created human beings. While Christ’s human spirit is uniquely united personally and ontologically to the Divine Word, human souls, by contrast, remain created, finite, and separated ontologically from God’s essence. Human knowledge of God, Aquinas teaches, is necessarily analogical and mediated through created effects and divine illumination. The human intellect cannot directly comprehend God’s infinite essence; it only knows God by way of participation and grace.
Aquinas’s philosophical framework—rooted in Aristotelian epistemology—also places the active intellect at the center of human knowledge. For him, contemplation is primarily an intellectual act of seeing and understanding truth, an act perfected by infused contemplation, where divine light elevates the intellect beyond natural capacities. Yet, this intellectual contemplation remains conscious and active. It does not abolish the role of reason or the faculties of the soul but perfects them.
In contrast, Dionysius and St. John of the Cross describe a form of contemplation that is essentially “beyond knowledge,” a supra-conscious spiritual vision that occurs in the spirit—a faculty transcending the soul’s conscious awareness. St. John of the Cross, in particular, stresses that this mystical contemplation is “in faith” and essentially hidden from the conscious mind, involving a passive, loving union with God beyond sensory or intellectual images. This form of contemplation aligns with the negative theology of Dionysius, which insists that God transcends all concepts and that true knowledge of God ultimately lies in divine silence and unknowing.
The distinction between Aquinas’s and John of the Cross’s models has significant implications for spiritual theology and formation. Aquinas’s vision provides a foundation for a systematic, intellectual approach to prayer and spiritual growth, where study and meditation are integral to contemplation. This is exemplified in the Dominican tradition, which values study as a form of sacred contemplation. John of the Cross, on the other hand, offers a pathway into the dark night of the soul, where one progresses beyond intellectual activity into a deeper, mystical union characterized by abandonment, silence, and passive reception of divine love.
In summary, Aquinas’s affirmation of Christ as comprehensor highlights the exceptional nature of the Incarnation and the unique capability of Christ’s human spirit. However, his broader theological anthropology precludes extending this perfect form of contemplation to ordinary human beings, maintaining a distinction between created intellect and the divine essence. This leaves room for complementary mystical traditions, such as that of St. John of the Cross, which emphasize the experiential and supra-rational dimensions of union with God, thus enriching the Church’s understanding of contemplation and spiritual formation.
Bibliography (selected):
- St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae, III, q. 50, a. 4
- Denys Turner, The Darkness of God: Negativity in Christian Mysticism (Cambridge University Press, 1995)
- Kieran Kavanaugh and Otilio Rodriguez, The Collected Works of St. John of the Cross (Institute of Carmelite Studies, 1991)
- Réginald Garrigou-Lagrange OP, The Three Ages of the Interior Life (1954)
From St. Thomas Aquinas:
- “During the Passion, the human spirit of Christ is the comprehensor of the divine essence itself.” (Summa Theologiae III, q. 50, a. 4)
- “Contemplation is the perfect act of the intellect, whereby it considers the truth for its own sake.” (Summa Theologiae I-II, q. 180, a. 4)
- “Study is a form of contemplation, the exercise of the intellect directed to divine truth.” (Garrigou-Lagrange’s commentary on Aquinas)
From St. John of the Cross:
- “Contemplation is the simple and loving gaze of faith fixed upon God, and it is essentially a gift of the Spirit, not a product of human effort.” (Dark Night of the Soul)
- “The spirit is that which is above reason and intellect, where God is known not by images or concepts but by an immediate, loving union.” (Kavanaugh & Rodriguez translation)
From Pseudo-Dionysius:
- “God is beyond all being and understanding; the highest knowledge is unknowing.” (The Mystical Theology)
Discussion
Key points to consider:
- Christ’s Unique Hypostatic Union
When Aquinas calls Christ the “comprehensor” — whose human mens (spirit or mind) contemplates His own Divinity perfectly — he is referring to a unique reality rooted in the hypostatic union: the divine Person of the Word united fully and personally to a human nature. This union is unique and singular, making Christ’s human intellect and will capable of an intimate, immediate, and perfect vision and knowledge of God’s essence.
This is not applicable to ordinary human beings, whose intellect and spirit are created and finite, without such a personal union to divinity.
- The Created Human Spirit vs. The Divine Word
Aquinas distinguishes clearly between the created human spirit (mens) and the Divine Word (the second Person of the Trinity). Human beings can only know God indirectly through created effects and signs, illuminated by grace and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The human mind cannot “comprehend” the divine essence directly because it is transcendent and infinite.
Therefore, while Christ’s mens uniquely contemplates the Divine Essence, human beings participate in contemplation differently — more analogically, through faith and the illumination of grace.
- Why Aquinas Does Not Fully Adopt Dionysian or John of the Cross’s Supra-conscious Contemplation for Humans
- Aquinas is grounded in Aristotelian-Thomistic epistemology, which emphasises the active intellect and sensible experience as the foundation of knowledge. His theological method is systematic and rational.
- He acknowledges mystical experience but treats it within the framework of rational contemplation, where the intellect is the primary faculty of knowledge and love of God.
- Dionysius and John of the Cross emphasize a supra-rational, supra-conscious faculty of the spirit that transcends intellect and senses. This notion, while compatible in a mystical context, does not fit Aquinas’s scholastic method that seeks clarity and definitions.
- For Aquinas, mystical union is a higher stage, but it does not abolish the intellect’s role; it perfects it through infused contemplation, not by negating conscious intellectual activity.
- Implications for Spiritual Theology and Formation
This difference reflects two complementary but distinct ways of understanding human spiritual ascent:- Aquinas’s intellectual contemplation is the foundation, preparing the soul through study, meditation, and rational prayer.
- John of the Cross’s mystical contemplation is a deeper union, where the soul passes beyond intellectual images into a silent, loving presence of God, often described as beyond knowledge and experience.
In sum, Aquinas’s Christology reveals the exceptional nature of Christ’s human spirit as “comprehensor,” but his anthropology and epistemology limit this kind of perfect contemplation to Christ alone. For the rest of humanity, contemplation remains an elevated but finite and analogical act of the intellect, illuminated and transformed by grace but never identical to the divine knowledge Christ enjoys.
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More on Contemplation
The First Half of Last Century’s Debate
Question: How is all the above different from the original argument about contemplation during the first half of the 20th century?
Answer: When one goes through the historical documentation, the respective articles in the respective specialised journals, where Dominicans and Jesuits and also others (Carmelites etc.) argue about contemplation, the focus seems to be on one form of contemplation—not always a multifaceted view or even a developmental one.
To sum it up (and of course a generalisation is always unfair), one group said that contemplation is infused and the other said that it is acquired. Remember also that back then we had a huge obstacle: Spiritual Theology wasn’t called “Spiritual Theology” (ie a unified module), it was called Ascetic-Mystical Theology, and it was divided into two parts of a course (two modules almost) and, in a way, into two phases and books: the Ascetic one and then the Mystical one.
Was this division valid? Of course, to a certain extent it was. We have lost it now. But it was. Think of the first three mansions of St Teresa of Avila—in prayer, they are mainly concerned with meditation (i.e. reflection on a subject or a text), and the use of the general help of the grace of God and acquiring good habits of meditation, recollection, virtues, etc. Regarding the “mystical”, you can consider that it covers the entire following mansions, from the fourth to the seventh. It is commanded by the direct and personal intervention of the Holy Spirit. St. Teresa, when she starts the fourth mansions (see 4th Mansions, first chapter, first paragraph), says clearly that now it is about supernatural things, which in fact meant: God’s direct intervention, contemplation, etc. Of course, in these mansions (4th to 7th) there is growth, transformation and changes in contemplation (and visions). Here, Saint John of the Cross is very much needed because he will clarify the fact that the initial forms of supernatural contemplation are more of a human-modality contemplation where God adapts Himself to us, to our ways, to our capacities, and not us to Him. He lowers Himself to our level, speaks our language and begins to feed us—like the mother when she breastfeeds (a common image used). Then, later on, the Lord will begin to change His behaviour. The milk will be lessened. The activation of the theological virtues here increases. Then, once we are rooted enough in God (the fish has taken the bait and the hook is well in its mouth (Union of Will, see Fifth Mansions)), we will have the powerful change where God will then lift us up to Himself. The Lord lifts the fish from the initial waters to His pure realm. The deep purification, and the entrance into a radically new contemplation (or action of God in us): darker.
So when the various groups (essentially two) fought, they fought about how to define contemplation. They had this abundant field: first the Ascetic realm, then the Mystical. Of course, they focused on the beginning of supernatural contemplation and argued about it. But still, the two main schools fought—one emphasising the importance of the human side (“acquired” is not the right word) and the other the divine side (contemplation is infused: given freely by God, to whom He wills, when He wills, the way He wills).
A Balanced Solution
A balanced solution would have been to consider two stages:
The first (which, of course, doesn’t interest anybody): the phase in which God gives, naturally, the general help of His grace, and where meditation is the normal activity—thinking, pondering, reflecting on a text, a spiritual subject, a virtue, or an attribute of God, etc. However, mentioning the general help of the grace of God remains key. The activities here are rather acquired, and growth is acquired too.
The second is when God begins to intervene (the fourth mansions, the second conversion, meeting Jesus, discovering the Holy Spirit). What was needed to offer the correct solution was to say: now the particular help of God’s grace intervenes; the personal and direct intervention of the Holy Spirit begins. However, four fundamental observations must be added:
1- Even if the direct intervention can be felt, God’s communication must be understood as occurring essentially in the spirit, and we must learn to activate the theological acts: faith, hope, and love in order to keep receiving God and grow.
2- God’s desire to give Himself is constant and unconditional, and we must avoid confusing the perception of grace (in the soul and/or body) with grace itself (in the spirit). All that He requires from us is that we offer ourselves to Him—and renew this offering—surrendering our life, being, body, possessions, and everything to Him.
We cannot say that God gives Himself only when He wants. We must rather say: God may allow us to feel His grace when He wills. That is true, and it is due to our weakness and attachment of the Old Man in us to the consolations/mile. But to claim that God gives Himself only when He chooses is not entirely accurate—it is only half the truth. The other half is what St. Thérèse teaches us: God wants to give Himself at all times and is constantly seeking those who desire to receive His love (see Act of Oblation). Blessed Fr. Marie-Eugène frequently emphasised that God is “bonum diffusivum sui”—that is, “goodness is self-diffusive” or “goodness tends to spread itself.”
3- Entering into the supernatural realm does not cancel our role: the tendency to understand “infused by God” has often led to the mistaken belief that our own involvement is cancelled. Yet the general help of God’s grace is still given to us and remains necessary in this new phase of growth, until the end of our life. So, when the spiritual Masters taught that it is important to dispose ourselves (to prepare, to be ready, to be present) in order to receive contemplation, this did not mean that we should do nothing in the moment of prayer. Offering ourselves (cf. the Act of Oblation of St Thérèse) is essential. This includes a deeper understanding of our relationship with God: that our righteous acts are tainted, and that it is the Holy Spirit alone (God’s Love) who makes us pleasing and acceptable to God (i.e., the state in which He communicates His love to us through contemplation). This offering of ourselves is entrusted to Jesus, in the hands and care of Our Lady. There is also a necessity to live continually in such a pure act.
4- The supernatural realm has many phases, but mainly two:
One is a human modality, where God humbles Himself and adapts to our ways in order to communicate with us.
The other is a divine modality, where God lifts us to His “heights” or level, so to speak.
The debate at the time focused on just one aspect—whether contemplation was acquired or infused—and reduced the entire reality of what contemplation actually is.
We must remember that this occurred during a time of renewal (from the 1920s onwards), when many began to believe that the mystical life—without extraordinary manifestations—was for all. This meant that entering the supernatural life was for everyone (though when and how remained open questions). Understanding this new phase—entry into the fourth mansions and beyond—was therefore crucial.
Sadly, we failed to heed St Teresa’s brief but serious warning (see the article here): not understanding the difference between the general help of God’s grace and the particular help is very harmful and causes us to lose much in our spiritual life (Her Autobiography, 14,6). The debate over contemplation came to an end due to exhaustion, not because the various schools reached an agreement or found common ground. To this day, we are still paying the price for this lack of understanding of the spiritual life, contemplation, and the entry into the supernatural.
Is Contemplation Progressive?
The question of whether contemplation follows a progressive path has long been explored by the great spiritual masters of the Church. From the Greek Fathers to St. John of the Cross, there is a profound sense that contemplation is both a journey and a grace, ascending from the perceptible to the ineffable, from the soul being purified to the spirit being renewed/formed.
Study and Contemplation
Is study a form of contemplation? Is it a necessary step toward contemplation as understood in the mystical tradition? The answer is both yes and no.
Yes—because it is inevitable and even necessary to desire understanding of the mysteries of faith. The mind naturally seeks light, and theological study, especially when undertaken in a spirit of prayer and reverence, opens the door to deeper insight, to the intervention of God’s Grace illumining the study and the word of God.
No—if we are speaking of contemplation in the sense described by Dionysius the Areopagite and St. John of the Cross. For both, true contemplation is not a rational perception, but a spiritual knowing that transcends the categories of thought and sense (soul). It occurs in the spirit (Greek: noûs), not in the soul, and certainly not merely in the intellect.
The Path of Ascent
A more nuanced understanding recognises that Christian tradition, especially in the Greek Fathers, does indeed see a progression toward true contemplation. Authors like Gregory of Nyssa and Dionysius describe this ascent as a series of stages:
Affirmation – We begin by perceiving God’s greatness in creation and revelation.
Negation – We come to understand that God transcends all we can affirm of Him. He is not great in the way we understand greatness.
Negation of the Negation – We realise that even our negations are inadequate. God is beyond all concepts, even those that deny other concepts. What remains is silence. (see works like: Cloud of the Unknowning, Life of Moses, Mystical Theology)
This is not a denial of knowledge, but its purification and elevation. The journey involves a stripping away of all that is not God—first by affirming the good, then by denying its sufficiency, and finally by surrendering all images and forms. In this sense, contemplation is indeed progressive. As Gregory of Nyssa would insist: the soul advances infinitely toward the Infinite.
| The Apophatic Tradition: Beyond Affirmation Apophatic theology, or the “via negativa,” emphasises the transcendence of God beyond human comprehension. Dionysius the Areopagite, a pivotal figure in this tradition, asserts that true knowledge of God comes through “unknowing,” a process of relinquishing all affirmative descriptions and after all the relinquishing itself to encounter the divine in its purest form. In his Mystical Theology, Dionysius writes: the areopagite “We pray that we may come unto this Darkness which is beyond light, and, without seeing and without knowing, to see and to know that which is above vision and knowledge.” This “Divine Darkness” is not mere ignorance but a profound realisation that God’s essence surpasses all human understanding. EBSCO+7faculty.umb.edu+7Sacred Texts+7 Gregory of Nyssa and the Infinite Ascent Gregory of Nyssa further develops the apophatic approach by introducing the concept of epéktasis, the perpetual progression of the soul towards God. In his Life of Moses, he describes the spiritual journey as an infinite ascent: Wikipedia “The true vision of the One we seek… consists in this: that the soul that looks up to God never ceases in its desire to see Him, and in its ascent never stops going higher, because it is always discovering more to see.” For Gregory, the journey towards God is endless, as the divine nature is infinite and beyond complete comprehension. |
The Purification of “Vision“
Such a progression is part of the necessary purification of how we “see” God. Early stages of “visible” or “perceivable” contemplation are not to be rejected, provided they are understood as preliminary and not definitive. In the writings of St. John of the Cross, especially in Ascent of Mount Carmel II.26 and II.31, we find hints that certain forms have a legitimate place in the journey (see below Lectio Divina). He seems to open the door to a form of Lectio Divina contemplation in these chapters.
Yet for St. John, the essence of contemplation is in the spirit. Anything seen or experienced sensibly or imaginatively or intellectually is not God. Even lofty spiritual perceptions are not the divine essence, but created effects within the soul. What matters is that we do not stop at these stages, and that we maintain the parallel path of Study, Lectio Divina, and Prayer of the Heart, each of which is a channel for grace and deepening communion.
True Contemplation: In the Spirit, Not the Soul
One of the greatest difficulties is accepting that the highest contemplation is beyond the soul, beyond thought, image, feeling and sensation. It is “Other” in an absolute sense. Yet this is precisely the teaching of both Dionysius in Mystical Theology and St. John of the Cross when he addresses advanced stages of spiritual life in his works. Dionysius clearly states that contemplation takes place in the noûs, the spirit. St. John of the Cross, who read and cited Dionysius, echoes this when he describes the union with God in The Spiritual Canticle, affirming that even in heaven, the soul and body receive created light, while the spirit alone is united to God in Himself.
Objections and Clarifications
Some may object: what about the two constant intellectual visions of the Seventh Mansion in St. Teresa? Or the “lamps of fire” (lámparas de fuego)—the contemplations of God’s attributes—in Living Flame of Love?
The answer is that these are created participations in divine life, but not the essence of God. They may be profound, luminous, and penetrating—but they do not constitute the final union. Otherwise, how could we explain the final trial of St. Thérèse of Lisieux? Or the mystery of the Passion, where Christ—as simul viator et comprehensor, both pilgrim and possessor—experienced a darkness which Aquinas acknowledges in his study of the Lord’s Passion in the Summa?
A common misinterpretation occurs, even among great theologians, when such expressions as fe ilustradísima (“most illuminated faith”) are taken to mean a vision or perception in the soul. This was the position of Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange, who interpreted this passage from Living Flame as the final goal of contemplation—a faith illuminated by the gifts of the Holy Spirit, in a quasi-visible (perceivable) manner. But this is not what St. John of the Cross says. The light is real, but it is not perceptible. It is in the spirit, beyond modality.
Dionysius: The Hidden Authority
It is worth remembering that Dionysius was considered, throughout the Middle Ages, to be an apostolic figure—believed to be the disciple of St. Paul, converted after the Areopagus discourse (Acts 17). He was thought to have received from Paul the depths that could not be communicated publicly, as alluded to in 1 Corinthians 2:6–7. For this reason, Dionysius held unparalleled authority in medieval theology. Even St. Thomas Aquinas, who refrains from commenting on many Fathers, writes a commentary on Dionysius—testimony to the latter’s doctrinal weight.
St. John of the Cross almost certainly studied Dionysius during his theological formation in Salamanca and refers explicitly to Dionisius and to the Mystical Theology. While we lack the study he reportedly wrote on the subject, his deep assimilation of Dionysian doctrine permeates his teaching.
The Dominican Tension
It is curious that the Dominican tradition, despite its motto contemplata aliis tradere (“to hand on the fruits of contemplation”), developed a theology of contemplation more focused on intellectual light than on the apophatic union described by Dionysius and St. John. If contemplation must be shared -as the moto says-, it presumes a perception, something grasped in the conscious soul, and something to say about it. But this implies that what is shared is not the unmediated divine reality, but something created—a fruit, not the source. Hence, one may argue that the Dominican school, for all its greatness, may sometimes loses sight of the radical nature of contemplation as non-perceivable union in the spirit.
St. John of the Cross offers a necessary corrective. In his commentary on the final stanza of the Spiritual Canticle, he insists that even in glory, what the soul receives is created, and that true union belongs to the spirit. This is a contemplation that surpasses all image, form, and understanding—a reality utterly “Other.” Here is what he says commenting the last verse of his last stanza (SC A): And the cavalry came down at the sight of the waters.
“5. By these waters are here understood the spiritual delights and blessings of God whereof in this estate the soul has fruition. By the cavalry are understood the faculties of the sensual part, both interior and exterior, which, says the Bride, come down in this estate at the sight of these spiritual waters. For the sensual part of the soul is so purified and spiritualised in this estate that the soul with its sensual faculties and natural forces is recollected and has participation and fruition, after its manner, of the spiritual grandeurs which God is communicating to the spirit, even as David indicated when he said: Cor meum et caro mea exultaverunt in Deum vivum.! Which is to say: My spirit and my flesh have rejoiced and delighted in the living God.
6. And it is to be noted that the Bride says not here that the cavalry came down to taste of the waters, but that it came down at the sight of them. For this sensual part with its faculties cannot essentially and properly taste of spiritual blessings because they have not a proportionate capacity for this, either in this life or in the next; but through a certain overflowing (Spanish: “redundancia”) of the spirit they receive therefrom refreshment and delight, whereby these faculties and senses of the body are attracted a into that interior recollection, wherein the soul is drinking of spiritual blessings. This is to come down at the sight of them rather than to taste of them essentially, I though they taste, as we have said, of the overflowing (redundancia) which is communicated from the soul [the spirit] to them. And the soul says here that they came down, and she uses no other word, in order to signify that all these faculties descend and come down from their natural operations, ceasing from them at the call of interior recollection; whereto may the Lord Jesus, the Spouse, be pleased to bring all such as invoke His Most Holy Name, to Whom belong honour and glory together with the Father and the Holy Spirit in saecula saeculorum. Amen.”
Contemplation in Lectio Compared with the Other Forms
Question: What the School of Mary describes as Contemplation in Lectio Divina seems somewhat different from the Dominican view—namely, that theirs involves study together with grace in order to understand better or more deeply, whereas Lectio Divina is about listening to God, receiving a Word, putting it into practice, and experiencing a new form of knowledge (contemplation) of this Word from the Scriptures. Do you agree with calling study assisted by grace a form of contemplation?
Answer: In another article (see here), I mention the existence of two forms of contemplation (as I alluded to above, these are referenced in Ascent of Mount Carmel, Book II, chapters 26 and 31, as possible openings toward such contemplation): Lectio Divina’s contemplation and Prayer of the Heart‘s contemplation. To these, we may also add the contemplation related to Study—the contemplation of God’s mystery.
I believe we need to maintain all three: Lectio Divina, Study, and Prayer of the Heart. These are three forms of contemplation, and they do not exclude one another.
Note: Let me add and adjective to “Study” and say: Supernatural Study, i.e., studying in prayer, i.e. constantly open and attentive to the guidance of the Holy Spirit during the study. In this sense, supernatural study is first a form of listening to God’s teaching and guidance and not merely the work of the mind with the ordinary light of faith. Being opened to the guidance of the Holy Spirit and to his promptings, it is source of grace because it allows the Holy Spirit to intervene. It then becomes a “contemplation of the mysteries of God” as mentioned by Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange.
If we consider Lectio Divina as the digestion process of the communication of Jesus the Lord—risen and present during the Mass—communicating with each one of us in our heart, mind, and will through His Word, through the proclamation of the Word (Liturgy of the Word), and if we consider the Prayer of the Heart as the digestion process of Communion (receiving the Eucharist), of the communication of Jesus to us during the moment of Communion, we can easily understand and clearly see that these two forms of Jesus’ communication to us through the Holy Spirit are truly two forms of contemplation. For what is contemplation, if not a communication of Jesus to us?
Now, can we add to this the fact that study is also a source of grace, a source of contemplation? Of course we can. When we sit down and study God’s Word, God’s Revelation, God’s teachings, and we are open to His grace and remain in His hands, attentive to the Holy Spirit who guides and leads us in our studies, certainly He will shed His light and communicate His graces to us.
Will all three of these forms of contemplation go through phases of growth?
I would say that if we are in the supernatural realm—that is, after the second conversion—Supernatural Study and Prayer of the Heart will undergo some deep developments. I am inclined to think that, even if Lectio progresses and deepens, its form of communication remains essentially the same. Perhaps it becomes more interiorised, more subtle, but He continues to be our guide at all stages of growth.
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