S. John: _So will I have him to
remain till I come_, S. Augustine comments as follows: "This might be
more fully expressed thus: May perfect actions, modelled on the example
of My Passion, follow Me; but may contemplation begun here on earth
remain till I come, to be perfected when I come"[467]; and similarly S.
Gregory says[468]: "The contemplative life begins here below to be
perfected in our heavenly home." But in that future life we shall not
merit, but shall receive the reward of our merits. Consequently the
contemplative life seems to have less of the ratio of merit than has the
active life; but it has more of the ratio of reward.

But in the state of future bliss a man has arrived at his
perfection and consequently there is no room left for merit; but
if there were room left his merits would be more efficacious
owing to the pre-eminence of his charity. The contemplation of
this present life, however, has some accompanying imperfection,
and consequently there is room for improvement; hence such
contemplation does not destroy the idea of meriting but makes
increase of merit in proportion as Divine charity is more and
more exercised.

3. Lastly, S. Gregory says[469]: "No sacrifice is more acceptable to God
than zeal for souls." But zeal for souls means that a man gives himself
up to the works of the active life. Whence it seems that the
contemplative life is not more meritorious than the active.

But a sacrifice is spiritually offered to God when anything is
presented to Him; and of all man's good things God specially
accepts that of the human soul when offered to Him in sacrifice.
But a man ought to offer to God first of all his own soul,
according to the words of Ecclesiasticus[470]: _Have pity on
thine own soul, pleasing God_; secondly, the souls of others,
according to the words: _And he that heareth let him say:
Come._[471] But the more closely a man knits his own soul, or
his neighbour's soul, to God, the more acceptable to God is his
sacrifice; consequently it is more pleasing to God that a man
should give his soul, and the souls of others, to contemplation
than to action. When, then, S. Gregory says: "No sacrifice is
more acceptable to God than zeal for souls," he does not mean
that the merit of the active life is greater than that of the
contemplative, but that it is more meritorious that a man should
off