"Speaking to Pope Blessed Eugene III, St Bernard tells him in very strong terms that even the duties and responsibilities of the papacy come second and his interior life first. Naturally, here again we must not suppose an opposition between priestly life and interior life. Even in his priestly activities the priest...is united to God in charity. But the temporal aspect of our activities must not warp our outlook and rob us of a spiritual perspective. The grace of God indeed endows active works with special power to unite us with Him and counteract the effects of distraction, etc. But on the other hand we must not become so immersed in work and attached to it for its own sake that we lose our spiritual perspective and no longer seek God above all in Himself...
"Not only is resting in God, in thought, reading, and contemplation, not a waste of time, but the more we rest, the more we accomplish, if our rest is the true repose of charity and wisdom, the repose which comes from casting away all temporal cares and concern with ourselves in order to dwell in the love of God...."
Fr Thomas Merton, OCSO
Monastic Observances
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