5] But the active
life implies anxiety: _Martha, Martha, thou art careful, and art
troubled about many things._[476]

2. Again, a certain clearness of vision is called for in the
contemplative life. But the active life hinders this clearness of
vision, for S. Gregory says[477]: "Lia was blear-eyed and fruitful, for
the active life, since occupied with toil, sees less clearly."

3. And lastly, things that are contrary hinder one another. But the
active and the contemplative life are contrary to one another; for the
active life is occupied with many things, whereas the contemplative life
dwells upon one object of contemplation; they are, then, in opposite
camps.

But all these arguments insist upon the occupation with external
affairs which is but one feature in the active life, not upon
its other feature--namely, its power to repress the passions.

* * * * *

_Cajetan: But the five foolish virgins, having taken their lamps, did
not take oil with them. But the wise took oil in their vessels with the
lamps._[478]

By this oil is signified testimony to a man's goodness or love of God.
For there is this difference between people who perform good works, that
the only testimony which some men have to their goodness is
without--namely, in the works themselves; within, however, they do not
feel that they love God with their whole heart, that they repent of
their sins because they are hateful to God, or that they love their
neighbour for God's sake. But there are others who so perform good works
that both their works that shine before men bear witness without to the
good soul within, and also within their own conscience the Holy Spirit
Himself testifies to their spirit that they are the sons of God; for
such men feel that they love God with their whole heart, that they
repent of their sins for God's sake, and that they love their neighbour
and themselves for God's sake: in brief, they feel that God is the sole
reason why they love, why they hope, fear, rejoice, or are sad: in a
word, why they work both within and without: this is to have oil in
one's own vessels (_On S. Matt._ xxv. 3, 4).

_S. Augustine:_ See the life that Mary chose! Yet was she but a type of
that life, she as yet possessed it not. For there are two kinds of life:
one means delight; the other means a burden. And the burdensome one is
toilsome, while the delightsome one is pleasurable. But enter thou
within; see