In The Three Conversions in the Spiritual Life, Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange treats of the three different “stages” in our spiritual life. He follows the programme of Saint John of the Cross and Saint Catherine of Siena:

• We start as “beginners” in faith, hope, love, and the Gifts of the Holy Spirit.
• Then the first dark night comes and, either finished or still en route as we journey through secular life, turns our senses over to God through dryness. Then we are on the “illuminative way”, which Father Garrigou-Lagrange says is described by Saint John of the Cross under a “purely contemplative” form but which may also take an “active” form.
• Then the second dark night comes and, either finished or still en route as we journey through secular life, turns our spirit and will over to God through dryness. After this, we are on the “unitive way”, which Father Garrigou-Lagrange says is described by Saint John of the Cross under a “purely contemplative” form but which may also take an “apostolic” form.

In the one case, he says active. In the other case, he says apostolic.

In this terminology, it is important to note that there is absolutely nothing normative about an active way of life. There is no norm of the “illuminative way”; it’s supposed to go further into the “unitive way”. We’re not supposed to stop at one dark night; we’re supposed to endure them both. We’re supposed to turn everything over to God. Only that is normal and normative. And when we do that, Father Garrigou-Lagrange says our activity is apostolic, not just active.

Of course, at any one time, one might find oneself living an active life. However, in this terminology, it should end as an apostolic life where, as Saint Thomas says of the Dominicans, contemplation overflows into action. That is exactly what this 20th-century Dominican theologian proposes, too.

This is an interesting point. Having met many souls, one wonders if there are indeed some souls who do not want an active life, because, knowing that “only one thing is necessary” (Lk 10:42), they clamour for contemplation first and, with it, the unitive way. Then, only once this way begins and they truly start walking with God without hindrance from the senses and the will, only then do they see any point to action, because only then does their action overflow from contemplation and loving union with God. Only then can they act on the world without great risk of doing evil. Only then are they set on course.

I don’t know if this describes, for example, the inner life and thinking of Saint Catherine of Siena herself. But it certainly captures the exterior. She chased the “one thing necessary” quietly in her room. After three years, she emerged transformed into the unitive way; and her life was, after that, a very action-filled life; in Father Garrigou-Lagrange’s terminology, that means it was an apostolic life. She never led an “active” life. She went from contemplative to apostolic. At a young age, she went into a cocoon and only emerged as a fully formed butterfly that ran the streets of the plague and counselled popes.

One of the Doctors of the Church was one of those who never lived an active life, but who, after a time, lived a very apostolic life.

I don’t say there are many such souls. But my experience tells me to suspect there are some seeking contemplation first, quite literally as Jesus proposed, so that they will never want to lead an “active life” but, after Jesus takes all of them, they may later lead an “apostolic life”. Another thing that we can say about such souls when they arrive at the way of unity can be taken from Saint Teresa (Interior Castle, VII, ch. 4):

I hold for certain that these favours are meant to fortify our weakness… that we may be able to imitate Him in His great sufferings. (#4)

This is the reason for prayer, my daughters, the purpose of this spiritual marriage: the birth always of good works, good works. (#6)

This is what I want us to strive for… let us desire and be occupied in prayer… so as to have the strength to serve. (#12)

In other words, if one strives after the “one thing necessary” and God gives such favours to the point of a “unitive way” or “spiritual marriage”, then the response may be to, in turn, give favours and works to others. These may be exclusively works of prayer; they may be something else. In striving for contemplation, an “apostolic” (but not “active”) way of life may be found.

Perhaps it’s not a frequent occurrence, but I’m rather certain it’s a possibility.