CONTEMPLATION IS MADE WITHOUT TOIL - THE THIRD DIFFERENCE BETWEEN IT AND MEDITATION
The simple gaze of contemplation is made in one of these three ways. Sometimes we gaze at only one of the perfections of God. For example, we contemplate his infinite goodness without thinking of his other attributes or qualities. It is like a bridegroom who fixes his gaze simply on the beautiful complexion of his bride. He will indeed look at her whole face as the colour is spread almost all over it. However, he will not be intent on her other qualities or the grace or other aspects of her beauty. In the same way, sometimes our spirit gazes at the supreme goodness of God. Eventhough it sees in it justice, wisdom, power, yet its attention is concentrated only on goodness. The simple gaze of its contemplation is directed to it.
Sometimes we are also intent on gazing at many of the infinite perfections of God. But it is with a simple gaze and without any distinction. It is like a bridegroom who with a glance of his eye passes from head to foot of his richly dressed bride. He has seen all in general and nothing in particular. So he cannot say what necklace, what robe she wore, what expression she had or what was her look. But he knows that everything is beautiful and pleasing. Similarly, by contemplation we often take a single gaze of simple contemplation over divine immensity and many perfections together. We are not able to describe anything in particular except that everything is perfectly beautiful and good.
Finally, at other times, we do not contemplate one or many of divine perfections. Instead we are attentive to an action or some divine work. Some instances are the act of mercy by which God pardons sinners or the act of creation or the resurrection of Lazarus or the conversion of St. Paul. It is like a bridegroom who may not pay attention to the eyes but to the gentleness of the glance his bride casts on him. He may not think of her lips but only of the sweetness of the words which come from it. Then, Theotimus, the human spirit makes a sudden sally of love. It pours out suddenly its love like a gush, not only on the action which it contemplates, but also on the One from whom it proceeds. You are good, Lord, and do good; teach me your statutes (Ps 119:68). Your throat, that is to say, the word which comes out from it, is very sweet and you are most desirable (Song 5:16). Oh! How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! (Ps 119:103) or with St. Thomas [Apostle]: My Lord and My God (Jn 20:28) and with St. Mary Magdalene; Rabboni! Ah, my Master (Jn 20:16).
Whatever may be the three ways in which we proceed, contemplation always has this advantage: It is made with joy. For it presumes that we have found God and his holy love. We rejoice in it and delight in it saying:... I have found him whom my soul loves. I held him and would not let him go (Song 3:4). This is how contemplation differs from meditation. Meditation is almost always made with toil, struggle, discourse. Our spirit goes from reflection to reflection searching in different places either the Beloved of its love or the love of the Beloved.
Jacob works in meditation to gain Rachel. In contemplation he rejoices with her and forgets all his work. The divine Spouse, as he is a shepherd, prepared a sumptuous feast in a rural style for his sacred spouse which he describes. Mystically it symbolized all the mysteries of human redemption: I came to my garden, he says, I have gathered my myrrh with all my spices. I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey. I have mixed my wine with my milk. Eat, my friends, and drink, and be drunk, my intimate friends (Songs 5:1).
Well, Theotimus, when was it, I pray you, that Our Lord came to his garden if not when he came to the very pure, very humble, very sweet womb of his Mother, full of all flourishing plants of holy virtue? What is Our Lord harvesting his myrrh with his spices if not gathering suffering after suffering till death and the death of the cross? (Ph 2:8). Thus, by them, he added merit after merit, treasures after treasures to enrich his spiritual children. And how did he eat his honey comb with his honey if not when he lived a new life by uniting his soul, sweeter than honey, to his body, wounded and pierced, with more holes than a honeycomb? When he ascended to heaven he took possession of all the details and accompaniments of his divine glory. What did he do other than mixing the wine? It means rejoicing in the essential glory of his soul with the delightful milk of the perfect happiness of his body. It is in a more excellent way than what he had done till then.
In all these divine mysteries which include all the others, there is much to eat well and drink well for all the dear friends. For the dearest friends there is much to get drunk. Some eat and drink but they eat more than they drink. They do not get drunk. Others eat and drink but they drink much more than they eat. These are the once who get drunk.
To eat is to meditate. In meditating we chew the spiritual food turning this side and that between the teeth of our reflection to grind, crush and digest which is done with some difficulty.
To drink is to contemplate. It is done without difficulty and resistance, with delight and ease. So we are out of ourselves to be fully in God. This holy and sacred drunkenness is opposed to the body. It estranges us not from the spiritual senses but from bodily senses. It does not make us stupid or dull but makes us like angels, so to say divinizes us. It puts us out of ourselves not to debase us or to degrade us with the beasts like earthly drunkenness but [this heavenly intoxication] raises us above ourselves and ranks us among angels. So we live more in God than in ourselves being attentive and possessed by love to see his beauty and to unite ourselves with his goodness.
To arrive at contemplation usually we need to hear the word of God, engage in spiritual conversation and conferences with others like the ancient hermits. We must read spiritual books, meditate, sing canticles and form good thoughts. Certainly holy contemplation is the end and goal to which all these exercises lead. All these exercises are reduced to contemplation. Those who practise it are called contemplatives. This type of occupation is called contemplative life. It is because of the action of our understanding by which we gaze with loving attention at the truth of divine beauty and goodness. It means that we contemplate with a love that makes us attentive. Or rather it is with a concentration that comes from love and increases love which we have towards the infinite sweetness of our Lord.