"The mission of the contemplative in this world of massive conflict and collective unreason is to seek the true way of unity and peace, without succumbing to the illusion of withdrawal into a realm of abstraction from which unpleasant realities are simply excluded by the force of will.  In facing the world with a totally different viewpoint, he maintains alive in the world the presence of a spiritual and intelligent consciousness which is the root of true peace and true unity among men.   This consciousness certainly accepts the fact of our empirical and individual existence, but refuses to take this as the basic reality.  The basic reality is neither the individual, empirical self nor an abstract and ideal entity which is the root of true peace and true unity among men.  This consciousness certainly accepts the fact of our empirical and individual existence, but refuses to take this as the basic reality.  The basic reality is neither the individual , empirical self nor an abstract and ideal entity which can exist only in reason.  The basic reality is being itself, which is one in all concrete existents, which shares itself among them and manifests itself through them.  The goal of the contemplative is, on its lowest level, the recognition of this splendor of being and unity--a splendor in which he is one with all that is.  But on a higher level still, it is the transcendent ground and source of being, the not-being and the emptiness that is so called because it is absolutely beyond all definitions and limitation.  This ground and source is not simply an inert and passive emptiness, but for the the Christian it is pure act, pure freedom, pure light.  The emptiness which is 'pure being' is the light of God which, as St. John's Gospel says, 'gives light to every man who comes into the world.'  Specifically, the Gospel sees all being coming forth from the Father, God, in His Word, who is the light of the world.  'In Him (the Word) was life, and this life was Light for all men, and the Light shone in darkness and the darkness could not understand it.' (John 1:4-5)  Now very often the ordinary active and ethical preoccupations of Christians make them forget this deeper and more contemplative dimension of the Christian way." 

-- Thomas Merton, On Christian Contemplation