With Chapter 19 Anonymous tells how we respond to those who either criticize or don't understand what we contemplatives are doing; he says this chapter is “The
author’s brief apology, teaching contemplatives to excuse actives for
complaining and acting against them” (50-51).
Anonymous emphasizes how important
it is for us not to criticize anyone who complains about our doing
contemplative prayer. If he seemed to
criticize Martha in his previous chapters for being upset about Mary’s
attentive love, for “her delightful,
intimate love pressed against that high
cloud of unknowing between her and God” (Ch. 17, p. 46), in this chapter
Anonymous goes out of his way to make sure that you know he loves and respects
Martha for all that she is. He showers
Martha with gracious compliments as he perceives her motivations.
What observations about Martha does Anonymous make
so that he’s able to excuse Martha for complaining?
With this understanding of Martha, what does
Anonymous say to us when we find people “baffled” by our contemplative
practices?
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