http://agustinosrecoletos.com

Contemplation and union with Christ

by OAR

Contemplation is the last step of these stairs; the believer feels the presence of God who has visited him and knows the “indescribable joy” (1 Pet. 1:8) of such indwelling. Knowing God with the experience of the heart, the concentration on the reality of God, centering oneself on Him, and feeling this center. To contemplate God is grace, it is to arrive at the feeling of needing Christ, of resting in Him, of remaining with the good that God has prepared for those who love him. (1 Cor. 2, 9).

Meditation is always possible, while contemplation is not, because it is a gift of grace. For this reason, there will be a need to return to meditation, in the same manner as the sailor again lays hold of the oar, when the wind does not fill the sail of his ship. Augustine comments on the words of Psalm 41: As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. The deer is the soul, the Church, and he himself. A profound impulse makes him sustain the race; it is necessary to sustain the desire, the eagerness, the thirst.

«Run to the fount, desire for the fount of water. The fount of life is in God, a perpetual font; in his light, you will find light which is darkened. Seek for this light, this fount, this light that your eyes do not know. The interior eye is prepared to see this light, the interior thirst is enflamed in order to drink from this fount. Run to the fount, desire for the fount. But do not run in whatever way, like any other animal; run like a deer. What does “run like a dear” mean? That the running may not be slow; run fast, seek the fount quick. ». (18)

Symbolism of the deer: velocity, promptness, it kills the serpents, their heads rest one next to the other, which permits them to bear their adversaries. The more the desire subsists, the more the realization of the desire is delayed.

Saint Augustine rekindles the sense of contemplation of the one who is incomprehensible. This is not an obstacle, rather this invites him to the Lord all the more, to sing psalms to him, to enjoy from his beginning, since to contemplate is to search and to discover the truth. A classic expression can be found in Bethany with Martha and Mary; the desire to contemplate face to face and to enjoy God as He is and worthy of all praise, rekindles us.

«That which Mary chose. There, in effect, instead of providing nourishment, we will be nourished. The plenitude and perfection of that which Mary chose, only crumbs of the opulent table of the word of the Lord, would be there. Do you wish to know what will be there? The same Lord says to his servants: In truth I tell you that he will make them seat at his tables, stay with them, and serve them. What does to be seated mean, if not to be free from concerns? What does it mean if not to rest? What does he will stay with them and serve them mean other than that he first stays and then serves them?. (19)

In contemplation, the first who serves is the Lord and makes us capable of being united to Him, who is the definitive and who, having been chosen, may remain in order not to wander, but knowing that towards Him we ought to move in the navigation of our life.

«Then she chose that which will always remain and, therefore, she will not be taken away from him. She wanted to be preoccupied by only one thing that she already possessed: My good is to be united with God. She found herself seated at the feet of our head, and the more lowly she was seated, the more she was receiving. The water flows to the depth of the valley, coming from the elevated hills. The Lord did not criticize the work of Martha, but he distinguished the needs. He said, You are too much preoccupied in many things, and only one is necessary. This has been chosen by Mary. The preoccupation for many things passes and the love for unity remains. Then, that which she has chosen, will not be taken from her; nevertheless, this is that which is deduced, that which you chose, will be taken from you. It would be taken from you for your own good, that you may be given that which is better, your work will be taken away from you and you will be given rest. You still navigate, while she is already at the port». (20)

---

¹⁸ SAN AGUSTÍN, Enarraciones sobre los salmos 41, 2, T. XX, p. 6.
¹⁹ Sermón 103, 6, T. X, p. 705
²⁰ Sermón 104, 3, T. X, pp. 709-710.

---

¿What is prayer?
Listening to the Word
Prayer of Christ
Returning to the heart
Contemplation and union with Christ
Life and Gratitude
Praying is loving
Praying Our Father I
Praying Our Father II