acedia

Sloth: A Shrinking from Love

Sloth: A Shrinking from Love

Sloth can be a difficult sin to identify.  The other capital sins are “active” sins: we consciously choose to do something evil.  Sloth is a sin of omission: we fail to do something good.  It is easy to dismiss because we’re not actively doing any harm—or so we think.

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Spiritual Stupor and the Duty of the Moment

Spiritual Stupor and the Duty of the Moment

The account of David committing adultery with Bathsheba opens thus: “In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab with his officers and all Israel with him; they ravaged the Ammonites, and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.”

Take note of that last bit, “but David remained in Jerusalem.” That’s where the trouble begins.

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