Sloth is the best described as a disinclination for duty, a shirking of any task that is imposed. Actually, the shirking of a task or the disinclination for duty has an uglier, more serious, dimension to it. It is best described as an aversion to God and to His will perceived underneath the task or the duty. It is in reality the sinner in us who has "no heart" - no love - for God and for whatever concerns God; hence the distinction for duty which is polite "I will not serve" of the Sin-spirit that dwells in us and which Christ has come to oust from His Father's Kingdom - from us.

Of sloth is born in the soul inconstancy, faint-heartedness, indolence of the will, a shirking from effort. Laziness is its common name. It makes a person give up good actions when they become hard or entail sacrifice. It makes him postpone or procrastinate duties especially those that are toilsome or bring little or no reward or to hurry over them or push them on to others. It robs the soul of energy, slow down its drive in action, blunts its thrust in execution. Its brings on a general slackness of effort. It makes one easily satisfied with one's performance with the work one turns out, with the effort one puts it.

It causes the soul to give up resolutions at the moment of execution by suggesting imaginary difficulties or pretexts. It tempts it to take the easier path, the line of least resistance. It is responsible for the pouring out of the soul on the attraction of the present moment; it makes one escape from unpleasant duty into pleasant trifles; it makes one keep very "busy", get involved in doing a lot of things that are not one's concern, only to find an excuse or to satisfy one's conscience, for keeping away from those that are one's responsibility. It is responsible also for one's becoming passive, a pacifist. A pacifist is one who says 'let things be' who gives in, who sacrifices his inner convictions because it takes too much trouble to stand up for them; he finds it easier not to resist, 'to have peace' even though it be a peace that lies uneasy on the conscience.

It is plain to see that sloth lets Christ down. Christ wants to accomplish so much for His Father and for His Church but finds Himself resisted, slowed down and even hindered by the sloth in His chosen instrument that has no zeal or energy that is afraid of exertion or sacrifice, that has no heart, no love, for the things that concern His Father and His Kingdom?

If you will seriously not let down Christ but earnestly help Him to accomplish the part of His mission on earth for which He needs you, you must pray. Christ's complaint is that we do not ask enough. "Hitherto you have asked nothing in my name" - John 16:24 - Because we do not ask, we do not receive. Ask, then, for zeal, for enthusiasm for God's kingdom; ask for the grace to love and to like duty; it will be given to you; our Lord has promised it.

BY REV. FR. J. B. FERNANDES S.J.

                                                                       Page 1
If you wish to donate. Thank You. God bless.

By bank transfer/cheque deposit:
Name: Alex Chan Kok Wah
Bank: Public Bank Berhad account no: 4076577113
Country: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!

I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.

HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -