All of us have known about the commandments and the greatest is to love God, this should come above all others. Also, other contemplative Christians may argue that love is the most important emotion in Christianity. Love of God is beyond all other love.
“And now these remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
(1 Corinthians 13:13)
“Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant. You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.
(1 Corinthians 12 1-3)
Those Christians who believe in a contemplative life may comment about what Jesus has taught and warned us about against abuses and excesses of the body.
Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered round him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge. He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear again. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times.”
Then Jesus said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
(Mark 4:1-9)
And
The Rich Young Man (Mark 10:17-22)
It is telling us that whenever we lead an active life, we might get abstracted with material possessions or “lifeless idols”.
Christians that live as contemplative life will declare that they are absolutely in subsequent of Jesus’ footsteps. Also, contemplative orders don’t get married or have family and so, because of this reason they could absolutely concentrate and dedicate a lot of their time to pray, meditate, etc.
Jesus accentuates the value of contemplation and prayer. Some of us haven’t got much time to pray to God, we actually remember to pray if only we are in deep trouble. The contemplatives order pray for everyone in the world. Jesus himself often went off to pray, especially in times of need for example, Gethsemane.
And when you pray do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
“This, then, is how you should pray:
“ ‘ Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one: for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory for ever.
Amen
For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
(Matthew 6:7-15)
This is an outline of importance of a life of prayer by Jesus. Mystics have especially thought about becoming close to God is important to Christians.
An example of a contemplative order are the Benedictines, they use all their time by praying, day and night. St Benedict declared that prayer is work. Contemplative order would also argue that they do important Christian work through offering intercessions, retreats, counselling, and manufacturing goods.
Christians should lead active lives:
As I have distinguished that Christianity are both about how people should live and it is not just concerning the religion that affect the aspect of life.
Other Christians wanted to escape the responsibility they might take in the real world so, the answer for it is to join in contemplative order. They would miss out the having a family of their own.
“And he was amazed at their lack of faith. Then Jesus went round teaching from village to village. Calling the Twelve to him, he sent them two by two and gave them authority over evil spirits.
These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff – no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. Wear sandals but not an extra tunic. Whenever you enter that town. And if any place will no welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust of your feet when you leave, as a testimony against them.”
They went out and preached that people should repent. They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.”
(Mark 6:6-13)
The 12 disciples have carried out a mission and contemplative order cannot do this, as they will only stay at one place. The message of this gospel is for Christian to learn to bring light of Christ to others.
The people, who have chosen to live an apostolic order, have dedicated and devoted their lives to helping the needy through out the world, and it is an absolute self-sacrificing commitment.
At the beginning we were made in the image of Christ, according to Jesus’ active mission we are Christian who should participate and to make an effort, as we belong to Christian community. We all know about the parable of the sheep and the goats, we should always be ready top help others as we are all part of God. Also, apostolic orders give a lot to their different communities and they help many people who are in need.
The commission said to us:
He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptised will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”
(Mark 16:15-16)
It is very important that you love God more than anything and it all starts there.
The Greatest Commandment
One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”
“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
“Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
When Jesus saw that he has answer wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no-one dared ask him any more questions.
While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he asked, “How is it that the teachers of the law say that the Christ is the son of David? David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit, declared:
“ ‘ The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until put your enemies under your feet.’”
David himself calls him ‘Lord’. How then can he be his son?”
Mark (12:28-37)
Over all, I would say that we’ve got given our free will. It is up to us what we wanted to do. Jesus did live his life contemplatively and actively, which we should be following. He taught us so that we would know what are the limits. He wants us to obey the 10 commandments and I understand that all of this is important.
Prayer is important as helping a hand to those people who are in need. Still, sometimes I think that it is much better to do the same thing at the same time, what Jesus did. He helped those people who are need and prayed at the same time especially in times of need. It would spread the word of God must quicker if they have lived a life contemplatively and actively. There could be a big change as, they are the role models for those people who are surrounding them.
Many people around the world is actually living so badly that they need help, sometimes I think that prayer cannot do much like doing it in action. It would solve everything much quicker.
Teachers must have a vocation from God everyone must have one. They truly can change young people mind as they teach us on what they were taught. They let us know what are the words of God. So, I would actually say that it is much better to live a life with both contemplatively and actively, as it would influence everyone throughout the world. Then, there would be many people would want to do the same.
