emplative life is centred.
The active life, on the other hand, is more immediately concerned with
the love of our neighbour, it is _busy about much serving_.[461] Hence
of its very nature the contemplative life is more meritorious than the
active, as is well expressed by S. Gregory[462] when he says: "The
contemplative life is more meritorious than the active, for the latter
toils in the wear and tear of present work by which it must needs help
its neighbour; whereas the former, by a certain inward savour, already
has a foretaste of the repose to come"--that is, in the contemplation of
God.

It may, however, chance that one man derives greater merit from the
works of the active life than another does from his contemplative life;
as, for example, when, from the superabundance of the Divine love, in
order to fulfil God's will, and for His greater glory, a man is content
to be separated for a space from the sweetness of Divine contemplation,
as the Apostle says: _I wished myself to be an anathema from Christ for
my brethren._[463] On these words S. Chrysostom[464] comments thus: "The
love of Christ had so completely taken possession of his heart that he
could even despise that which he desired beyond all things--namely, to
be with Christ--and that because it was pleasing to Christ."

Yet some maintain that the active life is more meritorious than the
contemplative, thus:

1. A thing is said to be meritorious because of the reward. But reward
is due to work, as S. Paul says: _And every man shall receive his own
reward according to his own labour._[465] Labour, however, belongs to
the active life, repose to the contemplative, as S. Gregory says[466]:
"Everyone who is converted to God must needs first labour in toil; he
must take Lia--that is, that so he may arrive at 'the vision of the
Beginning'--that is, the embraces of Rachel." Whence it seems as though
the active life was more meritorious than the contemplative.

But while external toil makes for an increase of accidental
reward, the increase of merit as regards essential reward
consists mainly in charity, one proof of which is external toil
undertaken for Christ's sake; but a much greater proof of this
is given when a man puts aside all that pertains to this life
and delights in giving himself up solely to Divine
contemplation.

2. Again, contemplative life is in some sort the commencement of future
bliss; and consequently the words of