“In profound communion with every other vocation of the Christian life–all of which are “like so many rays of the one light of Christ, whose radiance brightens the countenance of the Church”–contemplatives “devote a great part of their day imitating the Mother of God, who diligently pondered the words and deeds of her Son (cf. Lk 2:19.51), and Mary of Bethany, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened attentively to his words (cf. Lk 10:38)”. Their lives, “hidden with Christ in God” (cf. Col 3:3), become an image of the unconditional love of the Lord, himself the first contemplative. They are so centered on Christ that they can say with the Apostle. “For to me, to live is Christ!” (Phil 1:21). In this way, they express the all-encompassing character at the heart of a vocation to the contemplative life.” ~Pope Francis, Vultum Dei Quaerere, #3
