The Gospel passage for today describes the person of Jesus as a contemplative-in-action, and this is what He is asking all of us, His followers, to also be (Mk. 1: 29-39). Contemplatives-in-Action.
Jesus was a man of action all right. He went from one place to another — preaching God’s word, healing the sick, restoring sight to the blind, feeding the hungry, driving out demons — with a never-ending zeal in reaching out to those who needed Him. But how did the human Christ become that way? Was He simply a workaholic, like some of us may have a tendency to be? His heart was full of compassion and love for His fellow human beings. How come? “Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed” (v. 35). This is the answer.
The active, Christ-in-action was such because He was a man-of-prayer. In fact, before He began His public ministry, Jesus went on a 40-day spiritual retreat in silence and solitude, precisely as a preparation for His life-in-action. Not only that. During those years of active ministry to others, Jesus would regularly take time out in silence and solitude, for a deeper unity and connectedness with the God-of-Love. This was the very source and motivation of His compassionate love for others.
The spiritual writer Albert Nolan describes this so well in his recent book, Jesus Today:
“Jesus seems to have taken every possible opportunity of getting away to a quiet and lonely place for prayer and reflection. ‘In the morning, while it was still very dark,’ Mark tells us, ‘he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed’ (1:35 see also 6: 46 and Lk. 4: 42). Luke says he did this regularly (5:16). Before choosing his 12 apostles, he spent the whole night in prayer, we are told (Lk. 6:12). He recommended prayer in the privacy of one’s room, because he had no time for those who ‘love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others’ (Mt. 6:5-6). He called such people hypocrites. We can be sure that he spent much time praying behind closed doors.”
What Christ was and did as a contemplative-in-action was, however, left unfinished. After His death and resurrection, He left as His legacy and mission to His apostles and to all of us, His disciples, the privilege of continuing what He had begun. That was how much He willed us to be part of His very life and mission on earth.
“I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (Jn. 13: 34-35). And this love is shown not just in words, but in the sharing and giving of one’s self. My time, talents, and treasures. “Feed my lambs….tend my sheep” (Jn. 21:15-16).
Action that flows from contemplation. This is the only way we can lead mankind to the one and only God of all creation. As St. Ignatius of Loyola teaches us in his Spiritual Exercises: Ponder with great affection how God dwells in all creatures, in the plants, flowers, trees, animals, in all human persons — giving them life and existence. Indeed, God makes me His temple, since I am created in the likeness and image of the Divine Majesty. (Sp. Ex., # 235). Can you imagine if this becomes our habitual awareness through our regular periods of prayerful contemplation? This will make all the difference in the way we discern and decide what to do and how to carry it out; in the way we relate to ourselves and to everyone else and every bit of creation around us.
Moreover, St. Ignatius leads us further in contemplating how God works and labors in all of creation for our sake (Sp. Ex. # 236). And the Lord then invites us to be His co-creators and co-workers to keep creation in its place — the beauty and the bounty of creation. To be the companions of Jesus the Worker, in His competence, creativity, and compassion.
Competence. The inner, spiritual drive for excellence in whatever we do. From an excellent carpenter, like Jesus Himself, all the way to an excellent farmer, teacher, doctor, government official, or wherever your personal talent is.
Creativity. To be imaginative, innovative, inventive. The typical Filipino is naturally creative. I cannot but single out her the Rags 2 Riches team, no less than the “nanays” from Payatas, under the leadership of Rev. Xavier Alpasa, S.J., who were recently awarded First Place at the international Business in Development (BID) Global Challenge in Rotterdam, the Netherlands!
Compassion. An active, heartfelt compassion for all workers, especially the overworked, the underpaid, the inhumanely treated. Indeed, Jesus reached out to them in whatever way He could. The Man-of-Compassion par excellence. As His disciples, we can do no less.
(The Jesuits invite male college students and young professionals to a Vocation Seminar on March 1, 2009, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., CLC Bldg., Ateneo de Manila University. Please contact tel. (02) 4266101 or mobile no. 0917-Jesuits (5378487) or e-mail mateoharvey@yahoo.com)