How could a contemplative not take a stand on so-called “social issues” like racism, racial prejudice, anti-Semitism, sexism, systemic biases in society, poverty, systemic biases leading to poverty, slavery, bullying, and so many more? How could a contemplative soul be silent? How could a contemplative soul be utterly motionless?

It’s impossible.

In the first place, contemplatives on the road will see Jesus in their neighbour. It’s their charism, their “talent” given to them by God to be fruitful. They see Jesus. What does that mean? Seeing Jesus in our neighbour means that we pursue justice.

In the second place, contemplatives will never see Jesus in their neighbour unless they can take a stand for their neighbour. It goes both ways.

But even if we were to remove all the motivations that come immediately from God and from the Gospel, there remains yet one more; there remains a very “human” reason:

Today’s world says no to silence (the same as saying yes to noise). It says, “Contemplation is not possible,” it says; “I will make that road hard for you.” The contemplative knows, in a limited but real way, what it is like to fight a battle and to be misunderstood. That is part of the suffering that God, in the contemplative soul’s case, seems to permit. Why, why, why would anyone who knows what it is like to fight a battle in society, without violence and without noise or fear, want to do anything to exacerbate this condition for anyone else?

The contemplative vocation lived in the world is made to fight for justice.