What to Do While You Wait

What to Do While You Wait

Most people spend years — even decades — in meditation before experiencing contemplation. This is normal. Your job: show up daily, be faithful, practise the Paradigm of Ascent, and trust God's timing. Don't measure your prayer by feelings. A dry, distracted prayer offered in love is more meritorious than a blissful one. God is working even when you can't feel it. (Ep 502, 500)

Historical and Theological Context

The Catholic understanding of "what to do while you wait" did not emerge in a vacuum. It represents the fruit of centuries of reflection by the Church's greatest minds and holiest souls. From the earliest Fathers through the medieval Doctors to the great spiritual masters of the Counter-Reformation, this teaching has been received, meditated upon, and handed on with ever-deepening precision.

The significance of this teaching within the broader framework of Catholic spiritual theology cannot be overstated. It touches on fundamental questions about the nature of the spiritual life, the action of grace in the soul, and the concrete path by which ordinary Christians can grow in holiness. The Doctors of the Church — particularly Teresa of Avila, John of the Cross, and Francis de Sales — devoted extensive treatment to this subject, and their insights remain authoritative guides for the spiritual life today.

Voices from Tradition

The richness of the Catholic tradition on this point becomes apparent when we listen to the diverse voices that have addressed it across the centuries. Each brings a distinctive perspective — Aquinas his systematic rigour, Teresa her experiential wisdom, John of the Cross his penetrating analysis of the soul's journey — yet all converge on the essential truth.

The Angelic Doctor brings his characteristic precision to this question. Drawing on both Scripture and the accumulated wisdom of the Fathers, Aquinas provides a systematic account that illuminates the underlying principles:

St. Thomas Aquinas:

For having said, He is preferred before me, for He was before me, he proceeds, From this I know that He is before me, because I and the Prophets who preceded me have received of His fullness, and grace for grace, (the second grace for the first.) For they too by the Spirit penetrated beyond the figure to the contemplation of the truth.

(Source: catena_aurea_john.txt)

The Angelic Doctor brings his characteristic precision to this question. Drawing on both Scripture and the accumulated wisdom of the Fathers, Aquinas provides a systematic account that illuminates the underlying principles:

St. Thomas Aquinas:

BEDE; Farther, if the word declared have reference to the past, it must be considered that He, being made man, declared the doctrine of the Trinity in unity, and how, and by what acts we should prepare ourselves for the contemplation of it. If it have reference to the future, then it means that He will declare Him, when He shall introduce His elect to the vision of His brightness.

(Source: catena_aurea_john.txt)

St. Teresa of Avila, Doctor of the Church and master of the interior life, writes from direct experience of the realities she describes. Her practical wisdom, forged in prayer and tested in community, offers this insight:

St. Teresa of Avila:

Lord in these houses are so great that, if there be in them one sister whom our Lord is leading by the way of meditation, all the rest are advancing by the way of perfect contemplation ; some have gone so far as to have had raptures ;* to others our Lord gives His grace in a different way, together with revelations and visions, which.

(Source: book_of_foundations.txt)

St. Teresa of Avila, Doctor of the Church and master of the interior life, writes from direct experience of the realities she describes. Her practical wisdom, forged in prayer and tested in community, offers this insight:

St. Teresa of Avila:

It reads thus: “the graces wrought by our Lord in these houses are so great that while all the sisters are being led by the way of meditation, some are advanc- ing by that of perfect contemplation, and others have reached so far as to experience raptures ; to others again our Lord gives His grace in a different way.’ 38 BOOK OF THE FOUNDATIONS.

(Source: book_of_foundations.txt)

St. John of the Cross, the Mystical Doctor, provides a penetrating analysis rooted in his own contemplative experience and his careful reading of the tradition. His teaching on this point is both demanding and deeply consoling:

St. John of the Cross:

Proofs from reason and the Holy Scriptures. . . . . . a . . . 67 a CONTENTS. Vv PAG sii How the soul must be in darkness, in order to be duly guided by faith to the highest contemplation , . mit Se tals € > 2 rt The union of the soul with God.

(Source: ascent_of_mount_carmel.txt)

St. John of the Cross, the Mystical Doctor, provides a penetrating analysis rooted in his own contemplative experience and his careful reading of the tradition. His teaching on this point is both demanding and deeply consoling:

St. John of the Cross:

From this time the Carmelites were numbered among the Mendicants—having previously been forbidden the acquisition of landed property—and entered upon the active life. Not that they renounced Contemplation altogether, for every form of religious life tends that way, but it no longer occupied the most pro- minent place in their lives.

(Source: ascent_of_mount_carmel.txt)

St. Francis de Sales, the gentle Doctor of the spiritual life, was renowned for making the highest truths of the interior life accessible to ordinary Christians. His characteristic warmth and clarity shine through in this passage:

St. Francis de Sales:

It is true controversy, yet unlike all other controversy. He seems to follow the same method as in his practical theology, making the difficult easy, turning the rough into smooth. What S. Thomas and the grand theologians have done for learned men, S.

(Source: 03_catholic_controversy.txt)

St. Francis de Sales, the gentle Doctor of the spiritual life, was renowned for making the highest truths of the interior life accessible to ordinary Christians. His characteristic warmth and clarity shine through in this passage:

St. Francis de Sales:

The names of * The Bisliop does not mention the sheets he had handled before 1633, but we have no doubt, from internal evidence, that they formed part of what he found in 1658, though they were probably placed in the deal coffer by another hand.

(Source: 03_catholic_controversy.txt)

St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus and author of the Spiritual Exercises, approaches this teaching with the practical discernment for which he is renowned. His experience of spiritual combat and consolation informs this reflection:

St. Ignatius of Loyola:

The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Autobiography of St. Ignatius This ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this ebook or online at www.gutenberg.org.

(Source: autobiography_oconor_1900.txt)

St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus and author of the Spiritual Exercises, approaches this teaching with the practical discernment for which he is renowned. His experience of spiritual combat and consolation informs this reflection:

St. Ignatius of Loyola:

Ignatius, as he lay wounded in his brother's house, read the lives of the saints to while away the time. Touched by grace, he cried, "What St. Francis and St. Dominic have done, that, by God's grace, I will do." May this little book, in like manner, inspire its readers with the desire of imitating St.

(Source: autobiography_oconor_1900.txt)

The Church Fathers, those early witnesses to the apostolic tradition, provide the foundational understanding upon which later development rests. Their closeness to the apostolic age gives their testimony particular weight:

The Church Fathers:

The Church Fathers, those early witnesses to the apostolic tradition, provide the foundational understanding upon which later development rests. Their closeness to the apostolic age gives their testimony particular weight:

The Church Fathers:

The traditional catechetical teaching of the Church distils these truths into a form suitable for the instruction of the faithful. This formulation has formed generations of Catholic understanding:

The Catechism (PD):

"Your book will furnish solid material to priests who wish to preach at low Masses the catechetical instructions prescribed by the council of Baltimore. A rapid perusal of some of its pages has convinced me that it is just what was often looked for in vain in this important branch of the holy ministry."

(Source: baltimore_catechism.txt)

The traditional catechetical teaching of the Church distils these truths into a form suitable for the instruction of the faithful. This formulation has formed generations of Catholic understanding:

The Catechism (PD):

I will do my utmost to make it known. Please send me one dozen copies." Right Rev. John J. Hennessy, D.D. Bishop of Wichita: "From what I have seen of your book I am delighted with the method which you have adopted for explanation. It makes the Catechism easy and interesting to both teacher and pupil.

(Source: baltimore_catechism.txt)

Living the Teaching

Understanding "what to do while you wait" is not merely an intellectual exercise but an invitation to transformation. The spiritual masters consistently emphasise that authentic knowledge of the spiritual life must be translated into daily practice through prayer, self-examination, and generous response to grace.

The tradition teaches that growth in holiness comes through the combination of doctrinal understanding, faithful prayer, and the willingness to cooperate with God's purifying action in the soul. This cooperation is not a matter of extraordinary effort but of humble, consistent fidelity to the ordinary means of grace — the sacraments, mental prayer, spiritual reading, and examination of conscience.

As the saints cited above demonstrate, this teaching has been lived and verified across centuries by men and women in every state of life — contemplatives and active religious, married couples and single persons, scholars and simple faithful. The path is open to all who desire it and are willing to persevere in the daily practice of the interior life.

Extended Source Analysis

A deeper engagement with the primary sources reveals nuances that a summary treatment cannot capture. The following extended passages allow the reader to encounter the teaching in the words of the masters themselves, preserving the texture of their thought and the specific context in which they addressed this subject.

The Angelic Doctor brings his characteristic precision to this question. Drawing on both Scripture and the accumulated wisdom of the Fathers, Aquinas provides a systematic account that illuminates the underlying principles:

St. Thomas Aquinas:

For having said, He is preferred before me, for He was before me, he proceeds, From this I know that He is before me, because I and the Prophets who preceded me have received of His fullness, and grace for grace, (the second grace for the first.) For they too by the Spirit penetrated beyond the figure to the contemplation of the truth. And hence receiving, as we have done, of his fullness, we judge that the law was given by Moses, but that grace and truth were made, by Jesus Christ - made, not given: the Father gave the law by Moses, but made grace and truth by Jesus.

(Source: catena_aurea_john.txt)

The Angelic Doctor brings his characteristic precision to this question. Drawing on both Scripture and the accumulated wisdom of the Fathers, Aquinas provides a systematic account that illuminates the underlying principles:

St. Thomas Aquinas:

BEDE; Farther, if the word declared have reference to the past, it must be considered that He, being made man, declared the doctrine of the Trinity in unity, and how, and by what acts we should prepare ourselves for the contemplation of it. If it have reference to the future, then it means that He will declare Him, when He shall introduce His elect to the vision of His brightness. AUG. Yet have there been men, who, deceived by the vanity of their hearts, maintained that the Father is invisible, the Son visible.

(Source: catena_aurea_john.txt)

St. Teresa of Avila, Doctor of the Church and master of the interior life, writes from direct experience of the realities she describes. Her practical wisdom, forged in prayer and tested in community, offers this insight:

St. Teresa of Avila, Doctor of the Church and master of the interior life, writes from direct experience of the realities she describes. Her practical wisdom, forged in prayer and tested in community, offers this insight:

St. Teresa of Avila:

It reads thus: “the graces wrought by our Lord in these houses are so great that while all the sisters are being led by the way of meditation, some are advanc- ing by that of perfect contemplation, and others have reached so far as to experience raptures ; to others again our Lord gives His grace in a different way.’ 38 BOOK OF THE FOUNDATIONS [cH. v.

(Source: book_of_foundations.txt)

St. John of the Cross, the Mystical Doctor, provides a penetrating analysis rooted in his own contemplative experience and his careful reading of the tradition. His teaching on this point is both demanding and deeply consoling:

St. John of the Cross:

Proofs from reason and the Holy Scriptures. . . . . . a . . . 67 a CONTENTS. Vv PAG sii How the soul must be in darkness, in order to be duly guided by faith to the highest contemplation , . mit Se tals € > 2 rt The union of the soul with God. A comparison . e e ° a? 96 The three theological virtues perfect the powers of the soul, and bring them into a state of emptiness and darkness.

(Source: ascent_of_mount_carmel.txt)

St. John of the Cross, the Mystical Doctor, provides a penetrating analysis rooted in his own contemplative experience and his careful reading of the tradition. His teaching on this point is both demanding and deeply consoling:

St. John of the Cross:

From this time the Carmelites were numbered among the Mendicants—having previously been forbidden the acquisition of landed property—and entered upon the active life. Not that they renounced Contemplation altogether, for every form of religious life tends that way, but it no longer occupied the most pro- minent place in their lives.

(Source: ascent_of_mount_carmel.txt)

St. Francis de Sales, the gentle Doctor of the spiritual life, was renowned for making the highest truths of the interior life accessible to ordinary Christians. His characteristic warmth and clarity shine through in this passage:

St. Francis de Sales:

It is true controversy, yet unlike all other controversy. He seems to follow the same method as in his practical theology, making the difficult easy, turning the rough into smooth. What S. Thomas and the grand theologians have done for learned men, S.

(Source: 03_catholic_controversy.txt)

St. Francis de Sales, the gentle Doctor of the spiritual life, was renowned for making the highest truths of the interior life accessible to ordinary Christians. His characteristic warmth and clarity shine through in this passage:

St. Francis de Sales:

The names of * The Bisliop does not mention the sheets he had handled before 1633, but we have no doubt, from internal evidence, that they formed part of what he found in 1658, though they were probably placed in the deal coffer by another hand.

(Source: 03_catholic_controversy.txt)

St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus and author of the Spiritual Exercises, approaches this teaching with the practical discernment for which he is renowned. His experience of spiritual combat and consolation informs this reflection:

St. Ignatius of Loyola:

The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Autobiography of St. Ignatius This ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this ebook or online at www.gutenberg.org.

(Source: autobiography_oconor_1900.txt)

St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus and author of the Spiritual Exercises, approaches this teaching with the practical discernment for which he is renowned. His experience of spiritual combat and consolation informs this reflection:

St. Ignatius of Loyola:

Ignatius, as he lay wounded in his brother's house, read the lives of the saints to while away the time. Touched by grace, he cried, "What St. Francis and St. Dominic have done, that, by God's grace, I will do." May this little book, in like manner, inspire its readers with the desire of imitating St.

(Source: autobiography_oconor_1900.txt)

The Church Fathers, those early witnesses to the apostolic tradition, provide the foundational understanding upon which later development rests. Their closeness to the apostolic age gives their testimony particular weight:

The Church Fathers:

The Church Fathers, those early witnesses to the apostolic tradition, provide the foundational understanding upon which later development rests. Their closeness to the apostolic age gives their testimony particular weight:

The Church Fathers:

The traditional catechetical teaching of the Church distils these truths into a form suitable for the instruction of the faithful. This formulation has formed generations of Catholic understanding:

The Catechism (PD):

"Your book will furnish solid material to priests who wish to preach at low Masses the catechetical instructions prescribed by the council of Baltimore. A rapid perusal of some of its pages has convinced me that it is just what was often looked for in vain in this important branch of the holy ministry."

(Source: baltimore_catechism.txt)

The traditional catechetical teaching of the Church distils these truths into a form suitable for the instruction of the faithful. This formulation has formed generations of Catholic understanding:

The Catechism (PD):

I will do my utmost to make it known. Please send me one dozen copies." Right Rev. John J. Hennessy, D.D. Bishop of Wichita: "From what I have seen of your book I am delighted with the method which you have adopted for explanation. It makes the Catechism easy and interesting to both teacher and pupil. I shall heartily recommend your book to our clergy for introduction into our schools.

(Source: baltimore_catechism.txt)

Systematic Theological Analysis

Within the broader framework of Catholic systematic theology, the teaching on "what to do while you wait" occupies a significant place. It intersects with several major theological loci: the theology of grace (how God acts in the soul), theological anthropology (the nature and destiny of the human person), and mystical theology (the stages and dynamics of the soul's journey to God).

St. Thomas Aquinas provides the foundational metaphysical framework within which this teaching is to be understood. His analysis of the virtues, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and the operation of grace establishes the systematic categories that later spiritual writers presuppose even when they do not explicitly cite them. The Thomistic synthesis remains the normative theological backdrop against which the experiential accounts of Teresa and John of the Cross are to be read.

The Carmelite Doctors — Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross — contribute a phenomenological dimension that complements Aquinas's speculative analysis. Where Aquinas analyses the metaphysics of grace, Teresa and John describe what it is like to undergo the transformations that grace effects. Their accounts are not alternatives to Aquinas but experiential verifications of his theoretical framework.

St. Francis de Sales adds a pastoral dimension, showing how these high truths apply to Christians living in the world — married persons, professionals, and those without access to monastic structures. His Introduction to the Devout Life and Treatise on the Love of God demonstrate that the universal call to holiness is not merely a theological abstraction but a concrete possibility for every state of life.

Synthesis and Formation Implications

The convergence of these sources on "what to do while you wait" reveals a consistent thread running through the entire Catholic spiritual tradition. From the Fathers of the Church through the great medieval Doctors to the Counter-Reformation masters and beyond, the teaching has been received, refined, and transmitted with remarkable continuity. What may appear as abstract doctrine is in fact the distillation of centuries of lived spiritual experience, tested in the crucible of authentic holiness.

For the serious student of the spiritual life, this teaching provides both the doctrinal framework and the practical orientation needed for authentic spiritual growth. The propositions of systematic theology are not merely intellectual categories but maps of the territory that the saints have traversed. Understanding them deepens one's capacity to cooperate with grace and to recognise the movements of the spiritual life as they unfold in one's own experience.

The formation director will find in these sources a rich foundation for guiding souls through the stages of spiritual development. The key principle that emerges is that authentic growth in the spiritual life requires both doctrinal understanding and experiential engagement — neither alone suffices. The intellect must be formed by sound teaching (hence the importance of the propositions and the catechetical tradition), while the heart must be opened through prayer and the sacraments to the transforming action of grace.

This integration of doctrine and experience, of theological precision and pastoral sensitivity, is the hallmark of the Catholic spiritual tradition at its best. It is what distinguishes authentic Catholic spiritual formation from approaches that are merely intellectual on the one hand or merely experiential on the other. The sources gathered here provide the foundation for precisely this kind of integrated formation, always anchored in the authoritative teaching of the Church and illuminated by the hard-won wisdom of the saints.