Sloth. St. Thomas Aquinas: Sloth is sorrow in regards to Spiritual good. There is Spiritual good but no enthusiasm for accomplishing spiritual Good.

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1 Sloth (This sermon notes are based on a series of teachings on the topic by Rev. Robert E. Baron and other sources as indicated along with my personal reflections.) One of the seven capital sins which represent the I don't care feeling. A man sees that the practice of virtue is hard and so resists the service of God. He becomes slothful and his soul grows sluggish and lazy at the thought of the painful life journey. The idea of right living inspires not joy but disgust, because of its laboriousness. This is the notion commonly obtaining, and in this sense sloth is not a specific vice according to the teaching of St. Thomas, but rather a circumstance of all vices. Ordinarily it will not have the malice of mortal sin unless, of course, we conceive it to be so total that because of it one is willing to reject some serious obligation. In this sense sloth is directly opposed to charity. The man who is slothful violates, therefore, expressly the first and the greatest of the commandments: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind, and with thy whole strength. (Mark 12:30). (Catholicexchange.com) St. Thomas Aquinas: Sloth is sorrow in regards to Spiritual good. There is Spiritual good but no enthusiasm for accomplishing spiritual Good. The Medievals called it the noon day devil Sloth is the Leathery for spiritual things I cannot muster any energy or enthusiasm for things of the spirit Boredom Depression, inactivity at the spiritual level of life.

2 Sloth is worse than pride we just rest at the center Secularism and it s by products: Relativism truth varies from person to person and culture to culture Indifference to truth Think of a River: 70% of Catholics do not attend Mass Fewer go to confession The river gains its momentum direction and speed from the banks; Knock down the banks and it loses its direction and speed and momentum and it just spreads out to become a lazy lake going nowhere. Sloth comes from knocking down the walls of Truth, moral, spiritual and intellectual values. It makes me afraid and unable to move. Think of Children playing by a cliff/mountain slope/ledge erect a wall by the slope/cliff they will play with great energy and enthusiasm. But there comes along a great revolutionary who thinks that the walls restrict children s freedom and knocks it down Children become stunned by the danger of falling into the slope and their enthusiasm is curtailed and they will no longer play with the same energy. They will become more reserved. When truth and morals are knocked down, we will become more cautious and afraid and become lethargic.

3 Antidote: Zeal Biblical Tradition: Everyone called to do God s work is given a mission to accomplish Jesus said: Zeal for the house of God set him on fire Moses _ stammering- but God said go set my people free Isaiah Unclean lips and lived among unclean people God cleansed and set him on mission Jeramiah Too youn God said do not say you are too you, I will send you --- Peter Depart from me Lord, for I am a sinful man Lord said Go become a fisher of man Saul persecutor the Lord knocked him down preeminent preacher of the Word to the gentiles We are loved into existence by God and so we have a mission to accomplish to spread God s love in some way. The love of God is poured into our hearts Our mission is to share the Love of God with others --- find your way, send me Lord

4 Cardinal New Man said: We all have been made for some quite purpose Made by a loving God to personify love itself that is our mission, be on fire for it. Get busy spreading love. That is our mission. Practical Advice: Work hard on discerning your mission in life What is your prayer life like? Ask God to clarify your mission he will send someone to make it clear to you Read the Scripture you will find it Seek a good spiritual director Go to daily mass Listen to God s people, read the life of saints Engage in corporal and spiritual works of mercy Dorothy Day (Founder of Catholic Worker Movement) said Everything a baptized person does everyday should be directed directly or indirectly by the spiritual and corporal works of mercy. I want so serve God but How? Corporal Works of Mercy Spiritual Works of Mercy 1. Give food to the Hungry 1. Pray for the living and the dead 2. Give drink to the thirsty 2. Instruct the ignorant 3. shelter the homeless 3. Counsel the doubtful 4. Visit the imprisoned 4. Admonish the sinners

5 5. Care for the sick 5. Bear patiently the troublesome 6. Cloth the naked 6. Comfort the afflicted 7. Bury the dead 7. Forgive offenses (The punishment in purgatory for the Slothful is running in haste) Marion Remedy: (Luke 1:39) She proceeded in haste to visit Elizabeth. Doing God s will with Zeal.