CONTEMPLATIVE STUDIES

We began the “working” portion of our pilgrimage with classes today. Over the next ten-weeks, we will have classes related to scripture, liturgy, and interreligious dialogue. Classes will meet twice-a-week, and the first few weeks will focus on the Prophets and the Gospel of John.

It might seem odd that our pilgrimage is accompanied with academics. Should not a pilgrimage to the Holy Land be focused on purely spiritual endeavors? Fr. Robert Barron, Rector of Mundelein Seminary, has taken concrete steps this last year to foster a spirit of “contemplative learning.” In short, this system encourages a Faith-centered approach to the study of Theology. Can academics, however, be a vehicle to contemplation?

The spiritual classic entitled “The Way of the Pilgrim” offers some insights into this academic method. In the story, the nameless pilgrim is made aware of his not truly loving God by a spiritual master in Russia. Seeking a solution, the spiritual master offers the following,

“Now you can see that the root cause of your sins you read about is slothfulness, which keeps a person from studying the spiritual realities and stifles the very desire for this. If you want to know how to overcome this evil, then by every possible means seek spiritual enlightenment. You can do this by diligent study of the Word of God and the writings of the Fathers, by contemplation, by asking about Christ of the wise, and by spiritual direction. Ah, beloved brother, how many misfortunes we meet in life because we are too lazy to enlighten our soul…” (The Way of the Pilgrim, 117).

The focus of Theology is Christ. It would make sense, therefore, that our academic exercises provide the raw material for meaningful contemplation. These pursuits are only cast into a higher pitch of meaningfulness in the Holy Land.

This is a truly blessed opportunity.