Dorothy day's engaged spirituality: A life of contemplation and action

Spiritual Life, Fall 1999 by Parachin, Janet W

ONE OF THE INTERESTING FACETS of studying Dorothy Day's life is to note how her biographers and commentators rarely give attention to the contemplative dimension of her life. Certainly, they note that Day was wholeheartedly committed to the Roman Catholic Church and participated in the Church's religious activities, such as Mass, fasting, and prayer, but the primary emphasis is always placed on her social activism. Even the cover of the most recent edition of Day's autobiography The Long Loneliness boldly proclaims, "The autobiography of the legendary Catholic social activist."1

A convincing challenge to those who suggest that Day exhibited only a social justice-oriented spirituality is mounted by Brigid O'Shea Merriman, in all likelihood the first scholar to study in-depth the contemplative elements in Day's spirituality. She argues that Day's contemplative spirituality was highly developed from a very early age. For example, Day began keeping a personal journal as a child, she was reflective and self-revelatory in her writings, and she moved comfortably between solitude and companionship during her years of living at her beach house on Staten Island.2 These early impulses must have provided a firm foundation for Day's embrace of Catholic contemplative spirituality in the years leading up to her baptism in the late 1920s. Elements of that contemplative dimension included daily Eucharist, prayer, use of the Rosary and the prayer book, the study of scripture, the discipline of living in community, personal reflection and journal-- writing, and participation in retreats. These contemplative practices, more fully developed throughout her lifetime, led to the broadening and deepening of her early impulses toward social action.

In fact, Merriman makes the point that Day's "prayer, work, social and political activity comprised the arena of her spirituality."3 In other words, Day lived a life of engaged spirituality, a phrase I use to signify a spiritual life characterized by a dual engagement-engagement with the practices which provide spiritual nurture and engagement with the world through acts of compassion and justice. If this truly is the case, then how does her contemplative practice enrich her social action, impelling her to act in ways which are increasingly more focused and mature? Likewise, how does her activity on behalf of the poor convince Day all the more of her need for God and lead her to commit to a sustained contemplative practice which enables her to act and speak with profound spiritual depth?

Day's Contemplative Practice

First, Day's contemplative practice provided a personal sense of purpose which offered a religious justification for her social action and gave direction to the Catholic Worker movement as a whole. Perhaps the most potent factor contributing to this sense of purpose was her own reading of the Bible and the related desire to follow the example of Jesus contained therein. Friends called her love of the Bible and desire to read it often her "Protestant streak," telling her time and again that Catholics should look to the Church-not the Bible-for spiritual support. Day strongly disagreed, finding the Bible to be a source of both comfort and inspiration.4 Although she had many favorite portions of scripture, she cites Jesus' Sermon on the Mount as the "manifesto" for the pacifist revolution in which she sought to participate.5 Recorded in the fifth and sixth chapters of the Gospel according to St. Matthew, the Sermon on the Mount is not one sermon, but actually a collection of teachings gathered together in one place.

It is made up almost entirely of ethical teachings, describing how a person ought to be in relationship with God and other people. In it Jesus teaches about:

*good works: "Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven" 5:16;

* nonviolence: "If anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also" 5:39;

*charity: "Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you" 5:40;

*love: "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" 5:44;

* humility: "Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them" 6:1;

*prayer: "Whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret" 6:6;

*forgiveness: "If you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also-forgive you" 6:14;

* trust in God: "Do not worry, saying 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear?"' 6:31;

*and he holds his followers to a higher standard than is expected of others: "Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees [the religious leaders of Jesus' day], you will never enter the kingdom of heaven" 5:20.

Day's spirituality demonstrates her commitment to the ideals Jesus expressed: she was generous to all the poor who asked for assistance, not making distinctions between those who were more or less worthy; she taught that nonviolence was the only sure way to peace; she practiced a deep piety, but tried not to flaunt it for others to see; she understood her activism as a way of seeking forgiveness for her past sins; and she trusted God to provide all that was needed to carry on the ministry to the poor-donations of food, clothes and money, as well as strength for the task at hand. Certainly, there is no denying that Day's initial impulses were toward pacifism and compassion for the poor long before she became a Christian. Nevertheless, these biblical teachings provided a religious justification for her natural inclinations and became the words to which she would return time and again when reassuring herself and others about the importance of the work they were doing.