There is something very specific about the teachings of Saint Teresa which seems to get little attention: for her, when someone is raised to the heights of contemplation, it is to abound in action or some sort of genuinely apostolic activity greater than could be conceived beforehand.

In fact, the teaching is very simple at its core. What is contemplation? Union with God. In God, God himself is his will, right? Yes. So contemplation is union of will with God.

Saint Teresa writes in the Meditations on the Song of Songs,

Oh, how happy will be the lot of one who obtains this favour [of abounding contemplation], since it is a union with the will of God; such a union that there is no division between Him and the soul, but one same will.

Indeed, because this union pertains to love and the will,

It is a union not based on words or desires alone, but a union proved by deeds. Thus, when the bride knows she is serving the Bridegroom in something, there is so much love and desire to please Him that she doesn’t listen to the reasons the intellect will give her or to the fears it will propose. But she lets faith so work that she doesn’t look for her own profit or rest; rather, she succeeds now in understanding that in this service lies all her profit.

Contemplation overflows into action. Indeed, except in particular cases of cloistered contemplatives whose vocation, charism, and vows preclude other apostolic activity than prayer, it is natural that the inspirations of God and the very will of God itself, which is God himself in his immutable unity and perfection, accord to many particular actions. And they are loved. They are loved above all things, in providence, in inspiration, in the actions and suggestions of the divine will expressed in our neighbour.

There are many attempts to make contemplation very intellectual and difficult to understand. There are many attempts, intentional or unintentional, to disconnect action and contemplation. In fact, contemplation pertains to a union of wills. To achieve such a union, often various states are passed through. Things in us need to be cleaned up (this is largely the perspective of Saint John of the Cross in the Dark Night and the Ascent of Mount Carmel). We, because of our weakness, need special experiences and assurances of the overwhelming and all-pervading, all-loving presence of God (this is largely the perspective of Saint Teresa in the Interior Castle and the Way of Perfection). We need to be cleaned up and raised up. Then… then what?

What is the purpose?

It’s not only to make us fit for heaven.

No, that’s not enough. That makes the earth only an antechamber. Surely God’s plan is better than that.

In fact, God, who is Providence, wants to transform us such that we are united to and thus able to do his will in this life also. Contemplation aims at a union of wills. When that begins to take the overriding control of our life, then action and contemplation are all of the same stock. What is the division? There’s no division. There’s only continuous (or nearly continuous) love, confidence in a Father who provides all that is necessary, and love for a Brother who walked before us and walks beside us.