The Relationship Between Contemplation and Action

At the present time I’m facilitating an online course, Women Doctors of the Church, exploring the lives and wisdom of St. Catherine of Siena, St. Teresa of Ávila, St. Thérèse of Lisieux, and St. Hildegard of Bingen.

One theme that runs through the lives of all four women is the relationship between contemplation and action, particularly in the life of Catherine, a Third Order Dominican.

The readings, videos, and conversations among the participants have invited me into a renewed reflection on contemplation and action. A motto of the Dominican Order, Contemplata aliis tradere, is translated as “to contemplate and to share with others the fruits of contemplation.”

When I was much younger, I imagined that contemplation meant encountering God in extraordinary experiences. I expected to find God in moments that felt unmistakably sacred or profound. With time, however, I have come to recognize that contemplation is often about something much quieter and more ordinary: becoming aware of God’s presence in everyday encounters, unexpected challenges, and the people with whom I walk this journey of faith.

Over the years, I have also come to understand that contemplation and ministry are not separate activities, nor are they opposing forces. They belong together. The time I spend with God in prayer, Scripture, study, and reflection does not end when I leave that quiet space. It becomes part of who I am and how I live, shaping the way I listen, respond, accompany others, and engage with all creation. The most important word is neither contemplation nor action, but AND.

Through the highs and lows of life, through moments of joy and peace as well as times of questioning, disappointment, and grief, I have come to appreciate more deeply what it means to share the fruits of contemplation. This is more than a motto about prayer and preaching. It describes a way of life—a choice I choose to make anew each day: to become so deeply rooted in God that God’s love, truth, wisdom, and compassion can flow through me to others.

I want to live in this way: not simply spending time with God and then going out to serve, but to discover that my life with God and my life with others continually nourish and transform each another. I contemplate, and I act. I receive, and I give. And in the living of both, I become more open to the God who is already present in every part of my life.

Sister Janet Schaeffler, OP
St. Clair Shores, Michigan